The Invincible Warrior
by JyggalagJones
Summary: Young Tatsumi leaves his village to make a name for himself in order to save his village, and ends up joining the army only to find himself wearing a Teigu he never asked for, not to mention it seems invincible! Just how strong is it? And who is this ice woman? This begins his journey to save his village! Now Featuring KuromeXTatsumi!
1. Chapter 1: Pluto, the Deathless Armor

**Chapter one: Pluto, the Deathless Armor**

" _Tatsumi, Sayo, Ieyasu…be careful out there. The capital is a dangerous place, so take this to protect you. "_

 _Tatsumi reached out his hand and accepted the idol the elder had in his hand, slipping it into his coat pocket as Ieyasu laughed and spoke beside him, his voice as carefree as ever._

" _Sure thing, gramps! We'll use it to make some pocket money when we get to the capita-OUCH!"_

 _As the elder whacked him on the head, a vein bulging in his head, the elder sighed as he continued._

" _No! It is an idol meant to protect you! Now go you three… be safe."_

 **XXXXXXX**

As Tatsumi opened his eyes after remembering that scene from when him and his two friends had left the village not barely a week ago, he sighed as he looked up at the imperial palace on the hill in the center of the city as he thought to himself.

 _It's too bad we got separated…..Oh well. I'm sure once I get into the army and make a name for myself, I'll meet up with them eventually!_

Nodding to himself proudly as he thought briefly about all the money he would eventually make in the army since he was so good, he rubbed his chin deviously and laughed as he thought of it. Soon, however, he snapped himself out of his delusion and walked into the recruiting office for the army, making his way to the counter and slamming his hand onto the counter as he spoke to the man behind it.

"I'd like to join the army, please! Any place will do!"

Holding up the head of the danger beast he had killed on his way here for just this purpose, everyone around him guffawed and stepped back as the man behind the counter, clearly impressed, sized up the head and nodded slowly.

"I see…We may be overloaded with applicants due to the economic situation, but I think you at least deserve some sort of chance….Especially with this Suicide missi-"

Stopping himself, the man behind the counter rubbed his head awkwardly before speaking once more, stamping something onto a stack of papers before him, then sliding them towards Tatsumi as he spoke.

"Nevermind. Report to the camp outside the city, recruit! And welcome to the army!"

As Tatsumi walked out of the recruiters office with a shit eating grin that went from ear to ear, as he turned and briefly wondered where the hell the gate was he bumped into a woman with yellow hair, dropping his papers and bowing as he knelt down.

"Sorry about that!"

Stopping briefly, the woman bent down as if to try and speak to him, but Tatsumi was too excited to notice as he hurriedly gathered up his papers and ran off, calling out behind him once more as he left with his ruffled black hair flapping in the wind.

"Sorry!"

Despite himself, Tatsumi couldn't help but feel like something about his destiny had just changed.

 _That woman…if those men in that office hadn't recruited me….we may have hit it off. Oh well._

 **Just outside the city**

After finding the army camp just outside of the city, Tatsumi quickly found himself fitted for a set of generic armor and ushered where to the rest of the troops were training, the commander of the unit standing beside him as they watched on silently. As if trying to get a feel for this new recruit, the man turned to Tatsumi and studied him for a moment before speaking.

"So, boy….I see from your papers you've hunted danger beasts before."

Nodding eagerly, Tatsumi smiled innocently as he spoke, his voice full of youthful pride as he did so.

"Yup! I've hunted lots back home near my village, and as long as I have my trusty sword here, I can kill anything!"

The commander laughed bitterly as he turned back to his troops, his voice monotone and serious.

"I wish I had your confidence, boy…..we're being sent to our deaths."

His face drooping, Tatsumi turned to the commander and spoke questioningly.

"What? What's our mission…er-sir?"

The man sighed again and removed his cap as he rubbed his temples dejectedly, his voice soft as he replied.

"Boy….we're being sent to take out a group of bandits who somehow found one of the lost Teigu somewhere…"

Tatsumi merely cocked his head, clearly having no idea what the man was talking about. As the man noticed the dumbstruck look on his face, he chuckled.

"Good grief….you really are from the boonies, son."

Pausing for a moment, the man continued.

"Just know that if they know how to use this thing, they'll kill us all in a second."

Tatsumi luckily seemed to understand as he tapped his chin, speaking after a moment's thought.

"If the thing's so dangerous, why not send someone else just as dangerous?"

And with that, the commander slipped his cap back on and began to walk away, waving his hand dismissively as he walked off.

"Ain't that the question, boy? Get ready, we leave in five!"

And before he could even ask what training he would get, Tatsumi found himself pushing into the front line of the marching formation as the group set off for a cliff-top fortress the bandits in question had supposedly taken over with the help of the Teigu. Adjusting his breastplate as it began to chafe his neck, Tatsumi turned to the man beside him and nudged him with his elbow as he spoke.

"Hey…..Why did we get almost no training for this? Why stick us in the front the line?"

The man, his face one of pure despair, looked to Tatsumi with dead eyes and sighed as he spoke.

"Because we aren't meant to live, you moron. To the emperor and that bastard of a minister, we're nothing but cannon fodder. Sure, the pay sounds nice until you find out you're getting sent out on a suicide mission…"

Tatsumi clenched his fists as he listened to the man, his teeth gritted as he walked.

 _That bastard. Any emperor who would do this to his own men…I can't forgive such needless brutality!_

But before long, Tatsumi and the other soldiers had arrived at the mountain top fortress, the commander turning around on his horse and pointing his sword towards the fortress as his voice boomed out over the field.

"To battle, men! Fight for that damned paycheck!"

Strangely, those few words of wry encouragement seemed to do wonders for the men as Tatsumi found himself swept up in a literal avalanche of soldiers as they charged the fort! Breaking down the door and following the rest of the troops inside, Tatsumi saw the bandits rushing out to meet them, but his mind quickly shifted to the 'Teigu' the commander had spoken of as a smile crossed his lips as he suddenly came up with an idea.

 _If I can kill whoever has this 'Teigu' thing…..I'll surely get recognized! Maybe even a pay raise that I can use to save my village!_

Rushing to the walls of the fort and managing to avoid the heaviest fighting, Tatsumi managed to sneak around to the central tower at the back of the central courtyard and make his way inside, sword drawn as he cautiously made his way through the dark, damp hallway that led to the command room. As his mind continued to race a million miles an hour, Tatsumi couldn't help but feel sheer excitement as adrenaline raced through his veins.

 _This is the feeling of combat!_

Just as he arrived at the room before the command room, Tatsumi took a deep breath as he stood in front of the door into it to try and calm himself.

 _Let's do this….for my village, and for Sayo and Ieyasu!_

Kicking open the door, Tatsumi raced into the room ready for a fight, but once he had a chance to thoroughly examine the room he saw only a single corpse slumped in a chair behind a table, a glittering black necklace around the rotting, bloody corpse's neck. Tatsumi had no idea, but the corpse of the man before him was the wielder of the lost Teigu the bandits had found, a man stupid enough to try and force a compatibility match with the Teigu only to have it end up taking his life after taking over the fortress. As Tatsumi stood beside the man and looked him over, he seemed to notice the black necklace that was around his neck, looking around and smirking as he rubbed his hands together.

 _I'll just take this. No harm, right..?_

As he gently took the necklace from around the man's neck and put it around his own, the minute the neckless was clipped into place a blinding wave of black light suddenly shone forth from the necklace! As the light found its way out into the courtyard where not soul remained standing and shot miles into the sky, people from all over the empire turned towards the pillar of light as black as a nightmare…

 **In the capital**

As she walked along the streets, sighing happily as she finished off the last of her bottle of alcohol, Leone looked up and saw the pillar of black light coming from the east and narrowed her eyes.

 _That's not good…_

As she raced out of the city and towards the cliff where she had seen the pillar coming from, Leone hoped it wasn't one of the empire's tricks….

 **Back at the fortress**

As Tatsumi stood in the command room of the fortress, he could barely believe what had happened. There he was, only moments before, standing perfectly still after clipping that black necklace on, and now here he was standing in the same spot covered in full-body, demonic looking pitch black armor that made him a full two feet taller, two shields about as tall as him at about ten feet tall in each of his hands!

 _How the hell am I not being crushed by all this weight?! AND HOW AM I HOLDING THESE SHIELDS?! I think each one weighs about two tons!_

Yet somehow, Tatsumi felt almost at home in this armor and holding these two shields than he did back in his village!

 _Strange…..this armor, these shields…..they feel like a second skin. I think it's a safe assumption to say that this is that 'Teigu' thing the commander spoke of….right? Anyway, it feels like this thing made me stronger, so let's see if I can move._

Taking a few experimental steps toward, Tatsumi groaned under the weight as he barely made it out the door and back into the courtyard after nearly five minutes of walking what had previously taken him a minute at best!

 _Shit…..this thing's heavy…Fuuuuck. Okay….movement in this thing is…..hooo….not fun. At all._

As he came to a stop in the middle of the courtyard and glanced around, as Tatsumi saw all the bodies strewn about he realized something.

 _I'm the only one left alive!_

Stopping for a moment of silence for the people who had died here, Tatsumi sighed as he trudged his way up to the wall that overlooked the valley floor almost five hundred feet below him, and beyond that….the frozen tundra of the northern lands. Easing his head over the edge of the wall, Tatsumi felt his stomach drop as he glanced at the valley floor so far below him.

 _Better not fall. Oh, I wonder what I should call this suit of armor…._

Before he could even come up with a name that, in all likelihood, would have been pretty lame, Tatsumi suddenly felt a name pop into his head, a name that he whispered as if reciting a mantra.

"Pluto…..the deathless armor…..catchy."

As he glanced out at the valley and the snowy lands beyond, he suddenly heard a female voice from behind him!

"And who might you be?"

Turning around slowly to see the same woman from earlier who he had bumped into outside the recruiting office but with more animal-like characteristics, he gasped and spoke.

"You're those boobs from earlier!"

Before he could catch himself, the woman raised an eyebrow as she suddenly snapped her fingers and chuckled.

"The squirt from the recruiting office! Still…"

Suddenly, her demeanor became much more threatening as she spoke again with a much scarier voice.

"I'm going to need to ask why you're wearing a Teigu."

Tatsumi, feeling the hostility radiating from this woman now, took a step back as he shook his armored head.

"I-I don't know! Pro-WHOA!"

Before he could even finish, he found himself plummeting towards the valley floor below! As Leone walked over to the lip of the wall and watched the armored man falling to the valley below, she sighed and turned to leave.

"Too bad. Thought he could be a useful ally, maybe….."

 **Currently en route to the valley floor**

"SHITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!"

Those were Tatsumi's thoughts and the only words coming out of his mouth as he fell like a damned rock from the top of the cliff towards the plains below, Tatsumi's only thought was to lock his shields together to shield himself from the impact.

Then, Tatsumi slammed into the ground at about two hundred miles per hour.

 **A few miles away**

Pausing as she rode her horse ahead of her army that was returning to the capital, Esdeath felt a slight tremor run through the ground as she glanced into the distance.

 _Strange…._

She swore she could even see a small plume of dirt shoot into the sky.

 **Beneath the clifftop fortress**

Suprisingly, Tatsumi wasn't dead. He wasn't even scratched! Digging himself out of the crater with a considerable amount of effort, Tatsumi looked down at his armor and smiled inside of it as he looked around the valley he now found himself in.

 _This armor is tough. Slow, but tough._

Seeing no other option but to head in a direction since he had no idea which direction was which, Tatsumi merely began trudging along in the direction he was facing, each step taking considerable effort as he drug the two massive shields along with him.

After what seemed like hours of walking, Tatsumi came to a stop as he a massive group of people heading his way!

 _At the speed I can go…I won't be able to avoid them._

As he glanced around and wondered what he should do, he noticed notches in the sides of his shields, and he realized that they fit together puzzle pieces!

 _So they interlock…interesting. Maybe they get stronger whenever that happens?_

Before he could think about it anymore, he could visibly tell the woman who was sitting on the horse in the front of the group approaching him had noticed him and was motioning the army to stop as they approached him cautiously. Turning slowly to face her in his armor as she neared him, he heard her call out to him.

"You there. Explain yourself, or I shall kill you myself!"

While Tatsumi had _planned_ to say 'Just someone passing by', he felt the armor take ahold of his personality as he said something he normally would never have said otherwise.

"Try it."

As she blinked for a moment, as if she couldn't believe someone had just said that to her, Tatsumi sighed internally.

 _Damn it._

Seeing an array of ice spears appear all around the woman, her expression suddenly turned ice cold as she spoke.

"I think I'll enjoy breaking you, then!"

As she launched the ice spears at him, he merely interlocked the shields together as the spears slammed into the shields, his arms barely feeling anything at all as he peeked out from behind them and spoke.

"Wait, did you attack already? I wasn't ready."

A look even more deadly than before passed over the woman's face as she seemed to be assessing him before speaking.

"Pest."

Gritting his teeth as more ice spears slammed into his shields, Tatsumi felt himself getting a tad angry.

 _Okay, what's with this woman? What did I even do?_

Feeling himself naturally channeling the armor's power, Tatsumi felt power gathering in his legs as he began to speak words that held no meaning to him!

"Pluto's wrath…charge of the minotaur!"

Launching forward at speeds exceeding fifty miles per hour with the power built up in his legs, the woman barely had time to leap off of her horse before Tatsumi slammed into them with the force of a dozen freight trains, the horse literally exploding into tiny bits and pieces as he felt a sword clanging against his armor from behind him! Retrieving his shields from the puddle that was the horse's carcass, he spun around to face the woman in ice as she clicked her tongue in annoyance as she spoke.

"A tough one, eh? But it seems you've sacrificed attack for your defenses!"

As Tatsumi glanced around and saw three more warriors surrounding him, he knew she was right.

 _This armor may not grant me much attack power….but it's almost invincible. Still…..against four of these people, I can't hold out much longer….it's a miracle I've been surviving as long as I have. But still….can I just give up?_

Tatsumi finally glanced around him and spoke.

"If you're simply going to kill me once I remove this armor, I think I'll stay right where I am, thanks. I can turn at least one of you into a puddle beneath my shields before I fall."

 _Is this armor making me more confident?_

The woman chuckled as she pointed her rapier at him.

"A fair point. I merely have one question, then….Are you with night raid?"

Tatsumi cocked his head as he spoke.

"Wait, who?"

Narrowing her eyes for a moment, a silence descended upon them for a moment before sheathing her sword with a sigh as she spoke.

"How annoying. Regardless…."

She smiled so coldly Tatsumi felt a shiver run up his spine as she continued.

"You'll be our prisoner."

Feeling the armor harden his emotions, Tatsumi spoke.

"Like hell I will be!"

A look of utter, cold hatred crossing her face, the woman gripped the hilt of her sword and frowned as she spoke.

"Then there's no pleasing you. Death it is."

As he felt himself suddenly encased in a block of ice, Tatsumi's mind stopped functioning as his last thoughts crossed his mind before the ice encased him completely…..

 _DAMN IT I'M HUNGRY!_

 **Hey there readers, hope you enjoyed it. I figured since a lot of AKG Stories I've read sent young Tatsumi here either with Esdeath or Night Raid right off the bat, I wanted to switch things up, so he joined the army like he originally wanted to! Anyway, if you liked it drop me or the story a favorite or something, and thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2: Falling With Style

**Chapter two: Falling….with style**

Whenever Tatsumi felt his eyes fluttering open again, he found himself bound up by chains in a dungeon, icy chains binding him while he was still in his armor!

 _Urgh…..my head hurts._

However, the moment he tried to move his arms the chains snapped and let him fall to the ground with a colossal THUD, his armor rattling from the impact as he glanced up at the chains and nodded.

 _I must weigh a few tons inside this armor, at least…..no wonder those chains broke._

Finally, Tatsumi realized something important.

 _Wait….where are my shields?_

The moment he thought about them, Tatsumi almost yelped as they suddenly blinked into existence in his hands, as if summoned by magic!

 _Good. Looks like they can come and go at my will….._

Just as he was about to leave, he felt the armor around him finally evaporate as he collapsed to the ground on a knee, his breathing ragged as he felt warm blood trickling down his chin.

"Hah…Hah….that armor…..took a lot….out of me…."

Just as he felt himself about to pass out from wearing the armor for such an extended period of time, he heard the door to the dungeon click open, and as he looked up he saw none other than the blue haired woman who had frozen him walk in! As he looked up at her, he saw her eyes go wide as she glanced around confusedly, finally resting her eyes on him as she narrowed them and spoke.

"How did you get in here?"

Incredulous, Tatsumi was about to ask her what the hell she meant when he realized the armor made him look so much taller than he really was, making the real, five foot tall kid he was now look nothing like the intimidating demonic armored man who had turned her horse into clam chowder.

 _She doesn't think I'm the armored dude…not surprising. I barely think I'm that guy…Should I lie…?_

Before he could even speak, he suddenly felt a collar being slapped on his neck as she tugged him out the door as she spoke.

"I have no idea how you snuck _into_ my dungeons boy, but you belong to me now."

XXXXX

As she lead this new boy she had found in her dungeons to a more appropriate place to question him, Esdeath's found her heart beating faster than normal every time she glanced at his face, a fact that troubled her greatly.

 _Who is this young man….? And this feeling that swells up inside of me each time I look at him….how strange._

As she put such thoughts to the back of her mind, she continued to drag the boy off to her private room to extract more information from him there…

XXXXX

As Tatsumi felt himself being dragged along the floor by this crazy woman, he debated about whether or not he should risk activating Pluto.

 _If I activate it here, in my state….I might not be able to last five minutes wearing it, being this tired….But I think staying with this woman is just as dangerous._

Managing to steal a glance out a window as she dragged him by one, Tatsumi saw they were almost at the top of the palace, a great big grin spreading across his face as an idea popped into his head!

 _Oh yeah, I'm doing this._

Activating Pluto and waiting as the Demonic, pitch black armor enveloped him and made him weigh almost ten tons, Esdeath's arm almost flew out of her socket as she turned around and gasped, ice spears appearing around her as she spoke.

"It was you! Your tiny stature may have fooled me once, but no more! Get back-what?"

It was clear she had been expecting him to stay and fight, but instead Tatsumi trudged at a pace a snail could faster than over to the window, crashing through a wall without slowing down until he barreling straight out the window! As Esdeath rushed over to the window and glanced at him hurtling towards the ground, she grunted in frustration.

"That damned boy…..How annoying."

XXXXX

As the emperor and the minister were walking through the grass gardens outside the palace, their guards were following them along faithfully until the emperor stopped and turned to the minister, a flower in his hand.

"Don't they smell wonderful, minister?"

Turning to the tiny boy and taking another massive bite of the meat he had brought along, the minister nodded absentmindedly and spoke.

"Of course, your highness."

The emperor clearly was not pleased, so he turned to his guard to ask his opinion only to find him staring in horror up in the sky, his mouth barely moving as he uttered two words.

"B-B-B-Black meteor!"

Before he could even respond, a crash on par with a dozen explosions sounded off right beside them!

BOOOOOOM!

As a gargantuan plume of dust shot into the air, the minister coughed and hacked alongside the emperor as he spoke.

"Wha-What in the name of your highness was that?!"

As if to answer their question, a large, almost nine foot tall demon wearing armor rose from where the guard had been standing only moments before, the corpse of the guard a mere puddle below the armored demon as it turned to the minister, then the emperor, and nodded slightly.

"Excuse me."

So incredulous that a demon had fallen from the sky and crushed one of his guards, the emperor rubbed his eyes sleepily and turned to the minister.

"Am I dreaming, minister?"

The minster could only watch as the demon lumbered off in the direction of the palace walls, coughing as he replied.

"I-….I have no idea, sir….let us hope so."

XXXXX

After lumbering off towards the wall of the palace, Tatsumi's mind was racing at a million miles an hour as he began to pick up speed, each one of his footsteps sounding like a bomb going off as he charged.

 _Okay…survived the fall from the top of the castle….check. Was polite to the two men I saw when I landed….Check. Escaped the palace…..in progress._

Tatsumi shook his head and sighed as his speed continued to rise, the palace walls growing ever closer!

 _Let's hope this armor's stronger than those huge walls._

Now at the speed of a full on runaway locomotive, each of his footsteps sending a thunderclap around the palace as he ran, he was almost a hundred feet to the wall when a barrier of ice rose in front of him, the same woman's voice from earlier sounding from behind him.

"You can't escape, Assassin!"

Tatsumi however, had no time to adjust his course and merely crossed his arms and braced himself as he charged full steam ahead into her ice barrier, a deafening CRACK blasting over the palace as he shattered through it!

 _Thank god this armor's almost invincible. Bulky, hard to turn, not very powerful in the attacking department, and slow….but damn near invincible._

Hearing an angry yell from behind him, he heard the woman speak once more as he felt Ice spears pepper him from behind.

"STOP!"

Tatsumi could only laugh wildly as he kept on running, his voice as carefree as the wind itself.

"I COULDN'T IF I WANTED TO!"

As the walls of the palace came closer and closer, Tatsumi gritted his teeth and crossed his arms to shield the impact a little as he waited to hit it.

 _This is going to hurt, I think._

Slamming into the massive, super-thick walls of the palace at almost 100 miles an hour, a blast that almost deafened Esdeath rang out as stone and rubble shot into the sky! Approaching the hole in the massive, hundred-foot thick wall, Esdeath glanced at it and gritted her teeth.

 _Damn Night raid. So he was one of them after all….._

XXXXX

 **Currently in midair over the imperial capital**

"SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT IT HAPPENED AGAIN!"

Just as was Tastumi was beginning to wonder what god of incredibly high places he had pissed off to get into the second situation like this in one day, he found himself falling like a rock as he felt Pluto beginning to dissipate around him, his energy reserves completely exhausted as he hurtled towards the ground with unconsciousness creeping in!

 _Can't….pass out….. now!_

Focusing his will and energy long enough to re-form the armor in the split-second before he slammed into the ground, Tatsumi tried to raise his head, but the darkness swallowed him whole as he fell into unconsciousness…..

XXXXX

Leone thought her day couldn't get any weirder, but whenever the inn she had been drinking at after returning from watching that armored man fall off a cliff exploded just as she left it, she sighed angrily.

"Damn it all. What is it about today…?"

As she turned around, her jaw actually dropped as she saw that same armored man from earlier laying in the rubble of the inn!

"EH?! Pipsqueak….? But-How-why-WHAT?"

Looking straight up and seeing smoke and rubble billowing outwards from the walls of the imperial palace, she realized he had crashed through the wall and fallen to right here! Scratching her head as she watched the armor dissipate and revealed the same boy from earlier, she sighed as she heard the imperial guard mobilizing.

"Guess we could use a new recruit, after all…anyone stubborn enough to out-stubborn that palace wall and piss of the entire palace guard…..they're okay in my book!"

Picking the boy up and glancing left and right, Leone activated her Teigu and leapt onto the rooftops as she made her way out of the city, and to Night Raid's base…..

XXXXXX

 _Although he could have sworn he had been knocked out, Tatsumi somehow found himself standing inside an endless sea of black, reflective metal…as far as the eye could see._

" _Where….am I?"_

 _As if hearing him, a gravelly voice echoed a reply from all around him._

" _You are inside of the necklace."_

 _His eyes going wide, Tatsumi spoke once more._

" _Eh?! So does that make you….."_

 _The voice interrupted him._

" _Yes….I am Pluto….the deathless armor….the spirit of the danger beast used to forge the Teigu you wield."_

 _Watching as the endless fields of black metal began to swirl around and coalesce into a long dragon that resembled a mountain, the beast's mouth moved as it spoke._

" _Long have I been lost…long have I awaited someone who had the capacity to wield me, young warrior. For finding me and rescuing me from those accursed fools…I thank you."_

 _Tatsumi cleared his throat and nodded slowly as he spoke, his voice trembling slightly._

" _Y-Yeah….no problem. Listen…why choose me? Can't there be more suitable candidates out there than some guy from a village outside the empire?"_

 _The beast touched a long, black claw to Tatsumi's chest as it rumbled a response._

" _Do not discredit yourself, boy. You think location of birth has anything to do with your heart? Only those with the unyielding, stalwart and ironclad desire to never give in may wield me….no one less. My wielder must be strong enough to smile whenever he stands on the door of death, he must be valiantly enough to fight until blood gushes from his every pore when outnumbered a million to one with nothing but a broken dagger….he must be willing to fight the unfightable, withstand the strongest of tides, and push back the strongest of mountains. I can tell, boy…..you possess all of these things. Deep inside you, somewhere in the farthest reaches of your soul….lies the soul of a warrior that would do all the things I spoke of and more if it meant saving even one of the people he cared for."_

 _As Tatsumi opened his mouth to say he didn't have any of those things, the beast spoke before him._

" _Tell me I am wrong, boy. Tell me You would run away if the person you cared for most lay dying before you, their life in your hands."_

 _Suddenly seeing an image of Sayo and Ieyasu in his head, Tatsumi angrily shook his head and yelled back._

" _Of course I wouldn't! Who the hell kind of person would run away in a situation like that, huh?!"_

 _The beast only produced a deep, bestial rumble in its throat as it spoke._

" _Exactly as I thought…well done. To formalize this pact of ours….you must know of my trump card."_

 _Touching a claw to Tatsumi's forehead, Tatsumi saw images of how to activate it and what it did and gasped as he spoke._

" _THAT'S SO AWESOME!"_

 _The beast ignored him and spoke._

" _In any event, you must be careful with its use. It is immensely draining, and CAN kill you if you are unprepared. Now, you are needed back in the real world….."_

 _The world around him vanishing before he could speak any more, Tatsumi felt himself falling back into reality…_

XXXXX

His eyes shooting open as he sat straight up, Tatsumi glanced around the room to try and figure out where he was, only to fall straight back down onto the bed he had been on!

"Ouch!"

Sitting up a bit more gently this time, Tatsumi glanced around the room only to see seven people he had never seen before staring at him strangely. Feeling his face, Tatsumi spoke awkwardly.

"What? Do I have something on my face…?"

As he felt his face, the woman in yellow who he had seen before falling off that fortress wall and in front of the recruiting office stepped into his view, grinning as she spoke.

"Hey there. Feelin' Better…?"

Staring at her for a full second, Tatsumi angrily pointed at her as he spoke.

"You again! You made me fall off that cliff! ARGH!"

Scratching her head as if to say ' _Whatcha gonna do?',_ the woman smiled apologetically as another woman, this one with a metal hand, approached him with a cigarette in her mouth as she spoke.

"Leone here tells me you fell from quite a few high places and survived…and you may wield a lost Teigu…..You got a name, boy?"

Grinning, Tatsumi hooked his thumb into his chest and proudly spoke.

"I'm Tatsumi!"

The woman looked dubiously at him as she spoke.

"Should I know you or something?"

Tatsumi slumped over in defeat as he sighed.

"No….."

The woman looked confused as she shook her head and continued.

"Anyway…..since Leone brought you back here….I need to see you in action for myself before I let you join."

Hearing the words 'Let you join', Tatsumi stood up slowly and turned to the woman.

"Wait, Join?! Who ever said I wanted to join? Aren't you guys' assassins?"

Before the metal armed woman could responded, Leone replied.

"We're assassins, yeah…but we only kill the scum that live in the empire, Tatsumi. What we do is murder, no question…but we kill the bad guys!"

Rubbing his chin, Tatsumi was thinking about this when the metal armed woman spoke flatly.

"That, and if you don't join we'll have to KILL you!"

His face going pale, Tatsumi was about to feel sick when he heard her chuckle and wave her metal hand as she laughed.

"Hahahah….sorry, bad joke. We won't kill you, but you won't be able to leave, either…."

Tatsumi once again rubbed his chin as he thought it over for a second before sighing.

"Guess I don't have a choice then."

The woman snapped her fingers as she grinned and turned to a man wearing a leather jacket with probably the most fabulous hair Tatsumi had ever seen.

"Good. Bulat, since Leone says he's an armor-wielder, I'll leave this to you."

As they all lead Tatsumi out to a small courtyard where the man in the leather Jacket stood and turned to him as Tatsumi made his way into the courtyard too, he turned to the woman with the metal arm.

"Okay, so for this 'test'…..Do I need to win, or….?"

The man in the leather Jacket spoke first, however.

"Nope. Just show us what you got! Don't worry…"

Suddenly, Tatsumi took a step back as the man seemed to sparkle!

" _I'll go easy on you._ "

Tatsumi felt a shiver run down his spine.

 _That man is scary!_

Before his eyes, Tatsumi watched as the man suddenly was encased in armor that looked wicked cool as he swung a large spear, gesturing to Tatsumi.

"Come on, then! Show me what you're made of!"

Sighing, Tatsumi nodded.

Closing his eyes for a split second, a dark black flash of light enveloped the courtyard, blinding everyone except the other man in the armor until it subsided, with everyone's eyes going wide as even the man in the armor seemed taken aback. However, it was Leone who spoke what was on all their minds.

"Daaaamn."

As they all stared at the nine-foot towering behemoth before them who held twin gargantuan greatshields, he slammed his shields together and spoke.

"Come on, then."

Not even bothering to move as the man charged at him and lunged at him with a spear, Jacob sighed as the spear clanked harmlessly off his armor.

"I'm telling you, it's useless! This armor's almost invincible!"

The man in the other set of armor laughed as he spoke.

"Yeah? Interesting. Oh yeah, just call me Bro, ok?"

Putting that out of his mind as 'Bro' came at him, Tatsumi slowly raised a massive shield and slammed it into the ground with a large BOOM in an attempt to crush the man, but he effortlessly dodged around his swing and laughed as he threw a dozen more thrusts.

"That armor's fat and slow! But damn…..it's tough."

Closing his eyes inside the armor as he felt more clangs reverberate through it, Tatsumi debated with himself.

 _Should I try out my trump card? I'd like to see the attack power of this thing. Yeah…..i'm doing it._

As Bro threw a dozen more thrusts in an attempt to find a weak spot, Tatsumi again lashed out with a shield, but he was too slow as Bro once again danced around his attacks, chuckling as he did so.

"Hrm…..that armor is something else, Tatsumi! But can't it attack? Being Invincible is cool and all, but it's kinda boring if you just stand there and swing shields at me."

Tatsumi grinned devilishly under his mask as he spoke.

"Thought you never ask, bro."

Taking a deep breath, Tatsumi spoke the words that would activate his trump card, shown to him by the beast he had met while unconscious.

"Pluto's trump card…break the doors of hades!"

Just as he had seen in the images in his head, chains suddenly appeared around his wrists and attached themselves to the shields, a fact that Bro laughed at.

"Your trump is attaching chains to your shields? Those things probably weigh two tons, what're gonna do, throw…..them…?"

His voice trailed off as Tatsumi let his shields fall to the ground as he wrapped his armored hands around the chains, laughing as he did so.

"You know, bro….what a good idea! But I got a better one…."

To the utter shock of everyone watching, Tatsumi grabbed the chains and actually began swinging his massive, two ton greatshields about like huge, two ton chain flails the size of trucks! Keeping them in a tight arc beside him as near-hurricane force winds began to whip around the courtyard, Tatsumi gritted his teeth as he tasted blood in his mouth.

 _Damn…even more draining than I planned for…..need to finish this._

Suddenly bringing his right shield down on top of Bulat with an ear-splitting bang, Bulat barely moved out of the way in time as he was suddenly put on the defensive as Tatsumi could suddenly reach around the entire courtyard!

"Well, I asked for attack power…..Damn."

Laughing, Tatsumi swung his massive flails all around the courtyard, each one landing with the force of a bomb blast as Bulat found himself hard pressed to evade them all! Thinking that Tatsumi would be vulnerable up close, Bulat was proven wrong as Tatsumi instantly pulled a shield back into his hands in time to block his thrusts, Bulat only barely managing to dodge the second shield as it came hurtling towards him from above! Just as he barely dodged a shield slamming down in front of him, Bulat backed up only to see the other swinging across the courtyard, about to pulp him between the two shields! Suddenly, however, a loud retching noise was heard as the chains vanished without warning along with the armor as everyone turned to see Tatsumi coughing up huge amounts of blood, wiping his chin as he shakily fell to the ground.

"Whoa….everything's spinning. Guess that trump card's a little out of my league, huh? Only got to use it for about twenty seconds…"

As everyone raced over to him, he looked up at bro as he stood above him still in his armor and shakily spoke.

"You think I got in, Bro?"

Strangely, he somehow still managed to sparkle as he showed Tatsumi a thumbs up.

"No worries. Power like that, Kid…..you got talent."

And once again, Tatsumi found himself falling into the inky black void of unconsciousness…..

XXXXX

 _Unfortunately, the beast inside of his armor didn't pay Tatsumi a visit while he was unconscious. Also unfortunately, it seemed only strange dreams from long ago rushed in to fill the gap….._

 _In the dream the filled his mind, Tatsumi saw a man who was clearly a lot taller than him wearing armor that looked exactly like Pluto standing beside a man who had an air of Regal Authority. The wielding of Pluto turned to this man and spoke._

" _My Emperor…..it seems the city has not yet fallen."_

 _The Emperor man turned to him and frowned as he replied._

" _So it seems. I suppose you needed to intervene after all, Arthur."_

 _The man who wore Pluto waved his hand as he lumbered forward to edge of the cliff they stood on that overlooked a city under attack by a massive army, pausing as he reached the edge to speak._

" _No worries, my lord. Pluto and I are more than enough to handle these runts…..I'll only be a bit."_

 _As the man leapt from the cliff and fell an entire mile to the battlefield, another man approached the emperor, a massive pair of scissors in his hands as he turned to him and spoke._

" _Arthur never changes, does he? He is a most fearsome warrior….."_

 _The emperor smiled softly as he watched an armored Arthur barrel through the city gates with his shields raised high, leading the endless hordes of his troops into the city._

" _Yes…Until he finds someone who's as stubborn as he is."_

 _The man with the scissors laughed._

" _You think someone that stubborn exists? I'm no-Huh?!"_

 _Pausing as a great ruckus rose up from the valley below, the Emperor and the man with the scissors watched as another massive group of people suddenly appeared behind their army, a group of Teigu wielders in the front! As if to clarify, cries of 'Rebellion, Rebellion!' rose up from all around the valley! The emperor cursed as he walked to the edge of the cliff, his fists trembling with rage as he saw Arthur and Pluto holding back two hundred thousand men and half a dozen Teigu Wielders, his troops being slaughtered on both sides!_

" _Traitors…..I'll kill them all!"_

 _Before the man with the scissors could respond, they were both captivated as a massive beam of black light shot into the sky from the valley below, and only the emperor seemed to know what had happened._

" _No….if Arthur Activated his trump card….things are bad!"_

 _Both of them watched as Arthur's twin two ton greatshields spun around him on their chains in massive arcs, killing dozens around him as the traitors encircled him on all sides, a tide of frothing, angry soldiers all around him! As Arthur continued to fight against the tide of traitors, the man with the scissors seemed to bite back sadness as he turned to the emperor._

" _Sire….we need to leave. It's not safe here."_

 _As the Emperor turned to leave with him, he got one last look at Arthur Pluto, teigu users and soldiers surrounding him as he fought like a demon, blood seeping from every crack of his armor as he roared a challenge, his voice booming over the valley._

" _FIGHT ME, TRAITORS! BY HIS HIGHNESS, I'LL SEE HALF YOUR SMILING FACES IN HELL THIS DAY!"_

 _That was the last time anyone saw Arthur or Pluto for Five hundred years._

XXXXX

His eyes slowly fluttering open, Tatsumi found himself in a normal sized bedroom as he sat up in bed, rubbing his necklace as he thought about the dream he just had.

"That man…..Pluto's last user…died in the rebellion Five hundred years ago."

But why, he thought, had the armor shown him that? To show him how small he was compared to Arthur, the armor's last user? Tatsumi laughed as he thought that.

"Yeah, probably. I almost died from Twenty Seconds of that trump card….that man used it for five minutes it seemed like. Guess I got something to aspire to."

Cradling the obsidian necklace in his hand and staring at the jewel in it, Tatsumi sighed as he let it fall back to his chest and swung himself out of bed.

Making his way to the door, Tatsumi opened it and walked out into the hallway only to bump into Leone, the girl in yellow who grinned and slammed Tatsumi on the back as she spoke, her arm around his back.

"That was great, Tatsumi! Eyyyah, that was so cool!"

Suddenly, she got a little too excited and pulled him straight towards her chest, Tatsumi's coughs echoing up.

"Cant…..breathe…..boobs."

Pulling him out, Leone suddenly whacked him on his head, this time serious as she talked.

"But be more careful! That trump card of your is pretty wicked, but we can't our newest recruit dying on us!"

Scratching his head, Tatsumi lowered his head for a while before grinning like an idiot.

"Yeah….sorry. Guess I got carried away, huh?"

Rolling her eyes, Leone put her arm around his back as she led him through the hallways to the main hall.

"Yup. But no worries, big sis is here for you!"

Laughing along with her, Tatsumi and Leone finally arrived in the main hall where everyone else was waiting for him, all of their eyes turning to him as the woman with the metal arm extended a hand.

"Welcome to Night raid, Tatsumi. You're in."

And just like that, Tatsumi grinned like an idiot and laughed as everyone surged around him, excited to welcome their newest member.

 **Hey, chapter two's done! I knew that attack power would be a problem when I thought of Pluto, and it seems a couple of you out there did too…but no worries, for your storyteller has resolved that problem with his trump card! God damn, that thing is cool in my opinion. I mean, if you've played dark souls just imagine swinging two havel's greatshields around like toys and crushing people with them! If not, just think really big, really heavy shields being swung around like chain flails and crushing literally everything. Cool shit. Anyway, thanks for reading, and I'm so excited about how many good reviews and favorites the story got! Keep them coming!**


	3. Chapter 3: Storm the Gate!

**Chapter Three: Storm the gate!**

After meeting with everyone in the hall, Tatsumi decided to make his way back to bed since it _was_ past midnight in the middle of the night. As he lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about how happy he was to finally be among people who seemed to be at least partially cool when he suddenly felt himself waking up! Unsure of how long he had been asleep, Tatsumi glanced out the window only to see it was still pitch black outside.

 _I must only have been asleep for an hour or so._

Sighing as he swung himself out of bed once more, Tatsumi was about to go get a glass of water when he heard something from the main hall, straining to hear what it was from his room. Sadly, he could only hear something was happening, so he silently swung open the door and moved out into the hallway, his mind racing.

 _Did someone break in? No…too quiet for that. Is someone up, maybe talking to someone else? Maybe, I guess. Maybe Akame got hungry and decided to eat the entire refrigerator._

Almost laughing at the image of Akame devouring the refrigerator whole with that same stone face she always had, Tatsumi brought his giggles under control as he approached the main hall, about to walk in when he heard something that made him stop in his tracks, something in the voice of the woman with the metal arm speaking to someone he couldn't see.

"I know you might not like it…but we need that Teigu….the person inside can be replaced."

His mind racing a million miles an hour, Tatsumi refused to believe they were discussing him.

 _No way. No way, right? They must be discussing a late night contract, or something…_

But it got worse as the girl with the pink hair's voice was heard.

"Hmph. Not that I care…boss is right. That Teigu the new kid has is actually strong enough to let someone break into the capital unchallenged, even by General Esdeath! We can't possibly let that go to waste on a newbie like him."

This time, it was bulat who spoke.

"No. NO. Absolutely not. I won't be a part of this! Killing our new recruit?! That's not what Night Raid does!"

Again, the woman with the metal Arm's voice, sadder than usual.

"I know…..I know. But…that armor is too valuable to waste, Bulat….tell me I'm wrong about it! Tell me we could break into the castle an easier way, tell me of another Teigu we have that would let us kill the minister that easily? Not even Budo or Esdeath can scratch that armor!"

This time, Leone spoke.

"I'm with Bro. This is wrong…but I can see why you think this is ok, Boss…..but I still don't like it."

Silence descended upon the room until Akame spoke up.

"I see no problems with this."

Then, a voice he hadn't heard before…..

 _I must not have met that one earlier._

"Personally…I don't care one way or another. The newbie may be a good kid I guess from what Leone Says…but that's irrelevant. If we're doing this, we should do it now….before we get attached."

The woman with the metal arm's voice again.

"I agree, Lubbock. Sheele, what do you think?"

A voice that was almost too quiet to hear was heard.

"I…..don't care."

As the woman with the metal hand clapped her hands, she spoke once more.

"Then it's decided…..let's do this."

Tatsumi's mind hardened, probably thanks to Pluto, and he felt his hands quaking with rage as he thought.

 _Those bastards. Letting me join only to try and take my Teigu…bunch of "fighters for the greater good" they are…..shit! Guess I'm gonna need to get out of here…..might as well crack a few heads on the way out._

As his heart hardened along with his heart, another part of his boyish and cocky self dying as he walked out into the main hall with fire in his heart, he sighed as he spoke, his voice full of deadly venom.

"Kill me, hmm? I'd like to see you weaklings try."

Tatsumi grinned internally as he thought about what he had just said.

 _Wow…that was pretty cool! Must be the armor talking._

As everyone stared at him as Pluto swirled around him like a black wind, solidifying into the demonic armor it was, the woman with the metal sighed.

"Shit. Guess we were too loud…Let's do this, then."

Cracking his shields together as his helmet formed around his face, Tatsumi's voice came from the helmet as he braced himself.

"Try me."

Watching as everyone but Bulat and Leone came at him, Tatsumi felt everyone's attacks bounce off his armor and laughed until a laser blast caught him full in the chest! Staggering back a step as he felt an actual impact, he glanced down and saw a smoking ring where the laser had hit him and felt the beast in the necklace raging as he grunted.

"Shit….Lasers."

As he locked his shields together and blocked another shot, he was stepping back in an attempt to leave when he heard panicked cries from in front of him! Peeking out of the corner of his shields, he saw Bro in his Incursio standing beside him, spear in hand and a gash on the pink haired woman's face as he spoke with a voice full of disdain.

"No….I can't allow this. I WON'T allow this! I joined Night Raid to destroy the corruption that has overtaken the empire….not kill boys like Tatsumi here because we want his Teigu! I WON'T ALLOW IT!"

For a moment, Tatsumi saw Bulat standing taller than him, standing up for what he believed in, even if that meant turning against the people he had called his friends!

"Bro…"

As he said that, Bulat held out his hand and spoke to Tatsumi as the rest of Night raid except Leone began to advance once more.

"Tatsumi…..we need to leave. They may be trying to kill you, and that's not right at all…but they hate the emperor and the minister just as much as we do."

Tatsumi figured he was right, and nodded as he felt another Laser blast drill into his shields.

"Okay. I'll cover you, so get out of here!"

Turning to him, Bro hesitated for a moment before laughing curtly and nodding as he stepped behind Tatsumi and backed up in the direction of the exit.

"Gotcha."

Pausing as he reached the exit, Bulat stopped and shouted back at Tatsumi as he intercepted a Laser blast meant for Bulat.

"And Tatsumi…don't die!"

As Bulat darted out the door, Tatsumi grinned under his helmet.

 _I won't, Bro. I'll be out there in a second._

As he continued to dart backwards, he heard Leone's voice from ahead of him as she apparently came a decision.

"Deserting us…that's just like him. Sorry Tatsumi….I've made up my mind."

A pained look on her face, Leone darted towards Tatsumi fasted than he could keep up with her, her claws raking over his armor as he felt her trying to remove his helmet from behind!

Just as felt her immense strength allowing her to barely lift his helmet up enough to fit a claw inside, he heard the sound of metal tearing flesh as he saw a Geyser of blood shoot past him, Leone's pained gurgles coming from behind him as everyone's attacks stops as they all turned and looked at Leone, Bulat's spear erupting from her chest! As he retrieved his spear and tossed her body across the room, Bulat spoke once more with a voice as cold as ice.

"You all are dead to me! You all may be able to dismiss this as just one step to killing the minister….but this is unacceptable, to attack him like this! Tell me, what wrong has he done other than have something you want? In any case…..we'll be leaving now."

As the two of them darted out the door, no one made a move until Najenda sighed angrily and slammed her fist into her chair as she spoke.

"Damn him! I figured he wouldn't like the idea….but deserting us..!"

As every scratched their heads as they waited for what they should do next, Leone stepped forward and spoke to everyone, the gash in her chest where bulat had stabbed her mostly healed now.

"Why didn't we just let him join and ask him to attack the palace with us? Did you guys want that Teigu of his so much?"

Strangely, not one of them could answer her until Najenda spoke up, her eyes narrowing as she gazed off into the distance.

"You don't get it, Leone….that Teigu, Pluto? I haven't heard the name before, but back whenever I was a general all the troops told stories that had been passed down the generations since the time of the first emperor, stories about the lost Teigus and such….Y'know, tales soldiers like to tell each other. One of them was of a man who served the first emperor as his right hand man, his top general…and the troops said that man wore armor that even a thousand men couldn't break, a man who could hold his own against thousands. I wasn't after the armor itself, Leone…..I was after the necklace around that boy's neck that holds it, because if that necklace could tell me the location of the corpse of the last user of that armor….we might be able to get more information about the lost Teigu, and even about the first emperor himself!"

As everyone fell silent, suddenly Lubbock spoke up.

"…..and maybe even find out how the Teigu were made!"

Najenda nodded.

"Yea….but it's a long shot, to be sure. And until he overheard us, I just wanted to take the necklace from him…I didn't want to murder the kid necessarily, so long as he handed over the necklace to us without a fight. But if he didn't…..finding even the tiniest clue of how to make Teigu or how to find more lost Teigu is worth more than the life of a boy…we need to think about our fight and the duty we have to the people of the empire to purify that disgusting minister!"

Everyone nodded in agreement to Najenda's words, but strangely, not one of them seemed to like that fact as Lubbock spoke.

"Man….this job sucks sometimes."

No one saw any reason to disagree.

 **Outside**

As Tatsumi and Bulat came to a stop just outside the forest below Night Raid's base, Tatsumi turned to bro as they both let their armors go away, panting as he spoke.

"Bro….why did….you help me? Was turning against them like that really worth it to protect me?"

Bro only scratched his magnificent hair and sighed as he looked up at the sky.

"Tatsumi…Sometimes, a man just needs to stand up for what he believe in. I joined Night Raid because of the cruelty my former commander went through back when I was a soldier…among other reasons. But above all…."

Suddenly turning to Tatsumi and grinning, Tatsumi saw the air around him sparkle again as he held up his thumb!

"I swore I would take down that corrupt emperor and the minister if it was the last thing I did…..but I never said I'd do anything to accomplish that. Kill bastards who don't know that slavery and murder is wrong, sure. But I'll NEVER hurt an innocent kid like you for some reason as petty as wanting that necklace you got there…..so don't worry!"

As Bro put his hand on Tatsumi's head as he continued to sparkle, Tatsumi felt a shiver run up his spine.

 _Again with this?_

After while though, Bulat sighed and looked out towards the horizon as he spoke.

"Say, Tatsumi…..got any idea where to head next?"

Before Tatsumi could even speak, both of them gasped as the necklace around Tatsumi's neck suddenly blinded them with light, sending both of them spiraling into unconsciousness…

 **Inside Pluto's necklace**

 _As Tatsumi's eyes fluttered open and he rose up to find himself and Bulat standing in the sea of black metal that soon swirled around like a tornado to become Pluto the danger beast, Tatsumi blinked once as the beast instantly turned to Bulat and let a low rumble out of it's throat._

" _Tyrant…..it's been a while."_

 _As Bro seemed to be about to speak, the key he used to activate Incursio suddenly glowed as a massive danger beast shot forth into the sky, growling and bellowing in anger as it glared at Pluto! The two beasts looking tense for a moment, both of them suddenly seemed to relax as Pluto turned to Tatsumi and Bulat and began to speak._

" _Forgive me….Tyrant and I were….acquainted…..when we were alive and free. Mortal enemies, you might say. Anyway….there is something you both must know pertaining to my last user."_

 _Bulat seemed to perk up at this._

" _Really? And what might that be?"_

 _The beast eyed him and was silent for a moment before addressing them once more._

" _That woman back at that base….she seemed to be after me. As such, I have decided that action is necessary to bring what was lost to the tides of time once again back into the light."_

 _Again, Bulat spoke before Tatsumi had a chance to._

" _What? Don't talk in riddles!"_

 _The low rumble that seemed to escape Pluto's throat seemed like a chuckle as it spoke once more._

" _It is not my place to discuss it, as it is knowledge my former user commanded me never to utter….for fear of bringing the world to chaos once more. Alas…..I have no choice but to enact his final plan. I apologize in advance for this."_

 _And suddenly, Tatsumi and Bulat's vision went white as Pluto showed them a vision of its previous user's final moments of life so long ago, on the ancient battlefields of the civil war…_

 _The two found themselves staring Arthur as he stood in the center of the battlefield Tatsumi had seen him fighting in at the end of his last vision, surrounded by the corpses of over five hundred thousand soldiers, his once-glossy and proud black armor now stained red with blood all over, his shields dangling on chains at his sides as he barely managed to keep from falling over. Blood seeped from his helmet as a cough was heard from inside, his voice coming out seconds later._

" _Damn it all….Arthur 'Obsidian' Caldwell, the Proud Grand General of his highness' forces, reduced to a bleeding pile of rubbish about to die…..Hah. I suppose this bleeding pile of rubbish sent above half a million traitors to hell before him, though…"_

 _More blood seeping from multiple points on his armor as he let his shields dissipate and began to stumble towards the forest not far away, he spoke once more._

" _Suppose…I'd better hide myself. This armor…..was made for me, but….there may be more who could use it, if their wills be strong enough. Can't let….Pluto…be used against his highness…..so I'll hide myself where no one will find me."_

 _As he trudged on silently for about five more minutes, finally entering the forest and managing to descend into a cave, he used the last of his strength to crash through the wall of the cave into another room beyond it and seal it behind him, slumping down against the wall and letting Pluto vanish as he spoke._

" _Pluto, my old friend…..I have a request."_

 _The necklace around his neck flashed gently as the beast's voice was heard._

" _Request, you say? Hmph. I suppose when you look so pathetic I have no choice."_

 _Arthur coughed again, flecks of blood flying out of his mouth and down his bloodied body as he sighed._

" _Almost…..out of blood. Anyway, Pluto…..When the time comes and someone who can properly wield you as well as I can finds you….once you find out if they possesses the desire to protect that which they hold dear….show them here…..please. Don't tell them what I saw….just show them here. Oh….and if you find out that my son has continued my line….please give him my ring."_

 _His massive muscles rippling as he managed to lift his finger and begin to write on the wall, the necklace glowed as the beast replied._

" _You have my word. Arthur Caldwell…it has been a strange pleasure, being wielded by one such as you. You do my life proud. Go on into the abyss with pride, and let your shining soul blind all those who await you beyond….."_

 _As Arthur finished writing something with his blood and finally let his hand slump to the ground, he sighed one last time, his last words rising from his lips as he died._

" _Hah. You soft…old…..beast."_

 _Seconds later, the vision ended, and Tatsumi and Bulat found themselves standing before Pluto once more, the beast strangely silent for some time before it spoke._

" _Forgive me…..the past should stay where it belongs. In any case, make your way to that forest west of the capital, and find where Arthur died. There awaits a secret which he seems to have left to you there. Good luck, humans."_

 _The landscape vanishing as Pluto vanished, Tatsumi and Bulat soon found themselves falling back into reality….._

 **Back in the real world**

Soon enough, Tatsumi and Bulat found themselves laying on the ground right where they had fallen just outside the forest below Night Raid's base, both of them groaning as they sat up and glanced at each other.

"Ugh….my head. You okay, Tatsumi?"

Rubbing his head and nodding, Tatsumi nodded shakily as he took Bro's outstretched hand hauled himself up, dusting himself off as he glanced off to the west with narrow eyes, pausing as he spoke.

"Well…I suppose we should go find that cave then, huh?"

Bulat nodded as he glanced off towards the west as well, styling his hair as he did so and sighed.

"Might as well. Pluto made it sound like something super important was hidden there….and to be honest, I'm kinda of excited myself!"

As they began to walk, Tatsumi glanced over at Bulat and cocked an eyebrow as he spoke.

"Really…? It's just some dude from a long time ago, why are you so pumped, Bro?"

Bro turned to tatsumi with wild eyes as he spoke with a tone of excitement Tatsumi had never heard before.

"Think, Tatsumi! We're going to investigate the place where probably one of the greatest warriors this world has ever known died that hasn't been touched for more than 500 years…! And to top it all off, he was GRAND GENERAL of the armies of the first emperor! Just think of all the secrets about that time were lost to time!"

Tatsumi scratched his head and thought back to his first vision, wondering if he could have been wrong about the time scale when Arthur died. After a few minutes, he spoke out loud as he addressed the necklace.

"Pluto…..when did Arthur die? 500 years ago, right?"

The necklace glowed softly for a few minutes before a reply was heard.

"Did I ever say that, boy? No….he died approximately 948 years, 31 days, 20 hours, 5 minutes and 16 seconds ago…..make that 17 seconds…..why?"

Tatsumi and Bulat only glanced excitedly at each other as Bulat spoke up.

"So he knew the first emperor, right?!"

The necklace flashed briefly before the beast spoke again.

"Humph. Yes, he did….the two were almost brothers, I'd say. If Arthur hadn't died so early on in the rebellion, surely so many of my brethren would not have been lost…..to think, only half of our number remain. Pathetic, I say."

This time, Tatsumi spoke as he asked Pluto a question as he and Bulat continued to walk west.

"Wait….you know what the lost Teigu could do?! What did they do? Well?"

A feeling of arrogance washed over Tatsumi as the beast spoke.

"Wouldn't you like to know…..hmph. There were countless Teigu wielded by his highness's elite soldiers, such as Extase, Murasame, Even Hectatonkheires, that little rascal. But there were also ones that have not been found to this day…..like Myself, the deathless armor…..Infernus, Hellfire's grip,…..Terrax, rattler of heaven and earth…Iskandar, Conqueror's heart…..so many others…..all lost."

Their eyes going wide at the mention of so many (Presumably) lost Teigu that had never been found, Bulat looked up into the sky and asked a question.

"So which of those belonged to the first emperor? Probably the most awesome, badass one of all, am I right?"

Again, the necklace flashed.

"Hah! You are mistaken, human…the First Emperor always proclaimed that 'Any King who relies on the help of the Teigu to rule, as magnificent as they are, is naught but a fraud who deserves neither riches, land, nor the respect of his comrades and vassals'. He always fought all of his battles with nothing but plain steel at his side, the heart of a warrior burning in his chest all the while….he was a true warrior…..the best king ever known to you humans, I am sure."

Bulat actually laughed as he spoke once more.

"Wow…..too bad the emperor right not is nothing like that, huh? If he was…..we wouldn't be in this mess….and I'd still be serving under Liver as a soldier."

As they continued to walk along in relative silence, Bulat's leather jacket rippling gently in the wind and his hair cutting through it like a knife as he walked, the two wandering warriors soon found themselves on the edge of the forest they had seen in their dream, marveling as it seemed to stretch on for miles! Looking down, Jacob spoke to Pluto.

"Lead the way, Pluto."

The necklace merely glowed as they followed the trail of light it produced through the forest for about ten minutes before they arrived at a large pile of rocks that were piled up on the ground! Turning to Bro, Tatsumi brought Pluto out and equipped it as he spoke.

"Guess we need to move these rocks."

Nodding, Bulat equipped Incursio and helped Tatsumi move all the rocks for the better part of five minutes until they finally saw the walls of a musty cave below them, gleeful looks on their faces as they descended into the cave, smashed through the wall they had seen Arthur break through in their Vision and let their armors vanish as they came upon the ancient, fragile looking skeleton that sat propped up against a wall in front of them. Letting out his breath, Tatsumi spoke softly, as if speaking his armor as he gently laid his fingers on the Skeleton's head.

"Arthur….what did you leave for us?"

As if on cue, the necklace around Tatsumi's neck produced a super-bright light that lit up the cave and revealed an ancient message written in blood on the wall beside the Skeleton! Reading it aloud, Tatsumi began to speak.

"To those who might find this…Forgive me, but I must be brief as my time is short. Travel to the palace where the bloodline of his highness surely still reigns supreme, and bring his heir to the bottom of the palace….there you shall find….another room…..hidden in the floor. In that room…lies…..the birthplace of all Teigu…..the forge of the gods….the hallowed forge! Beware…..only those…with the bloodline….of his highness…may….open…it."

Tatsumi finished speaking neither him nor Bulat speaking for almost five minutes before Bro spoke beside him, voice completely excited!

"Tatsumi….we found it! After all this time….we found how the emperor made his Teigu! But wait…."

Bulat fell silent as he glanced at the message again, his brow furrowing as he spoke once more.

"Damn it…..the palace, huh? That's going to be a pain, for sure…we'd need to get all the way up to the throne room, nab the emperor after fighting past, in all likelihood, Esdeath, Budo, and any others we find on the way, and then make our way ALL the way down to the bottom floor of the palace, where we supposedly need to bust the floor open to find this secret room. Honestly, I'm not sure the two of us could pull it off."

As Bulat continued to stare at the message, he turned his head and looked at Tatsumi as he heard a loud CRACK beside him, turning to see Tatsumi grinning with his twin greatshields in hand as he slammed the together, a devilish grin on his face as he spoke.

"No worries, Bro….With the power of Incursio and Pluto, with your attack and my defenses….there's no way we could lose!"

Bulat looked at him for a moment, stunned, before grinning wildly and patting Tatsumi's head and nodding.

"Yea….I'm sure you're right."

But inside his head, Bulat's mind thought differently.

 _Until Esdeath and Budo show up, I'm sure we'll be fine. Then we'll be killed for sure._

As Tatsumi let Pluto vanish once more, he noticed something shiny on the bony finger of Arthur's skeleton, bending down and slipping it off as he examined it and spoke.

"What's this….?"

As if reacting to his touch, the ring began to glow in conjunction with the necklace around Tatsumi's neck, the beast inside of the necklace speaking!

"Ah…..I remember that. That ring was forged after the creating of the original forty eight Teigu, and Arthur always said that his majesty said he had forged it for him, and that 'it was a reminder of his duties.' As if I knew what that meant….pah. He never took it off, though."

On a whim, Tatsumi slipped it onto his finger and examined it casually before he felt a sharp pain shoot through his finger, turning his finger over and gasping as he saw a spike extending from the ring and into his finger! Before he could even cry out in pain however, he felt himself being forced into unconsciousness…

 **Location Unknown**

 _As he opened his eyes, Tatsumi saw a man standing before him with spiky golden hair and a face that seemed intimidating, but somehow….Tatsumi knew he was an honorable man. As he noticed Tatsumi Rise up, he spoke with a voice that seemed fake and hollow._

" _I welcome you to my domain, wielder of Pluto."_

 _Looking the man over, Tatsumi's eyes narrowed as the man continued._

" _I'm so incredibly happy you found my body and my Teigu, young warrior…..you seem just as strong as I was whenever I was growing up…Haha. In any case, my time is short. I am the memory fragment of Arthur Caldwell, and this ring was made by the first emperor for myself in honor of our friendship, and inside of this ring is every moment of my entire life, a reminder of what I was fighting for….Anyway, I called you here when you put this ring on to tell you to seek out my descendant and give this ring to him. I can tell that he needs my guidance."_

 _Tatsumi, still confused as to what was going on, barely managed to speak._

" _Wait….how do you know your descendant is still alive?"_

 _The man chuckled._

" _This teigu holds domain over memories, young warrior…..I can see yours, and upon examining your memories of being told of this "Great General Budo" and his description, I am certain he is my last surviving descendant. Not to mention, "Budo" is…..was…..my middle name. Please…..give him this ring so I may impart my legacy onto him, young warrior."_

 _As the fog around him began to vanish, Tatsumi found himself falling back into the real world…._

 **Back in the cave**

As his eyes blinked open, Tatsumi saw the ring slip harmlessly from his finger like it was covered in oil, blinking again as he turned to Bulat and spoke.

"How long was I out for?"

Looking confused, Bulat thwacked Tatsumi on the head and laughed.

"What? You moron, what are you talking about…? You put on that ring, blinked, and it slipped off! Anyway, what is that thing?"

Shaking his head, Tatsumi sighed.

 _Guess that ring didn't knock me out._

"It….it had the memories of that dude inside of it. Apparently Great General Budo is his last descendant, and wants us to give it to him so his legacy can live on."

Bulat only blinked once, his face blank, before speaking in an incredulous voice.

"Ooookay. Well, I guess we have no choice now…we're heading for the capital."

Stopping Bulat as he made his way to the exit, Tatsumi asked him a question.

"Wait….how long can you go invisible for?"

Thinking for a moment, Bulat answered him.

"If I'm in peak condition, like now…? Probably five minutes, maybe ten if I push myself hard."

Tatsumi grinned as he rubbed his hands together and spoke.

"Oh man….this is going to be the greatest idea ever."

 **The next day, In front of the gates to the Imperial Palace**

As they stood in an alleyway just outside where the gates to the palace were, Bulat cursed softly as Tatsumi finished explaining the plan once more, whipping out his comb and fixing his hair once more as he spoke.

"Geez….this is probably the stupidest idea I've ever heard."

Tatsumi chuckled and spoke.

"Just shut up and go with it. Unless you have a better plan?"

Bulat sighed once more and replied.

"No….but there's no way the guards of the gates would be stupid enough to fall for this. Plus, even if they do relying on that ring is probably the most risky thing ever."

Tatsumi laughed softly as he replied.

"So is your hairdo, bro….but I don't complain."

Bro seemed genuinely offended as he instinctively grabbed his hair and spoke.

"Hey…watch the hair comments, Tatsumi. You have no idea how much effort it takes to maintain this!"

Rolling his eyes sarcastically, Tatsumi made no reply as he strode out of the alley as Bulat followed behind him invisible as Tatsumi walked up to the two guards who were standing at the front of the gates. Looking up at the massive guard, Tatsumi put on the best 'I'm a helpless kid' voice he could and spoke.

"S-Sir….I was playing ball with my friends and the ball went over the wall and into the palace courtyard. Can I go get it?"

Pausing as he glanced up at the nearly mile tall walls behind him, the guard stared intently at Tatsumi for the longest time, almost Making Tatsumi break under the strain, before he sighed and spoke.

"You must have one hell of an arm, kid. Go ahead."

His mind racing that his plan actually worked, he took one step before he felt the guard smack him upside the head and laugh as he tossed Tatsumi back onto the street.

"Stupid kid! You think that'd actually work? HA!"

Tatsumi only stood up and nodded as he cracked his knuckles, then his neck as he spoke.

"Oh, I knew it wouldn't. I just wanted an excuse to break that big gate in half."

The guard's faces priceless as they saw Pluto swirl into existence around the boy in front of them, Tatsumi quickly knocked them out and stood in front of the door as he spoke to Bulat, still invisible beside him.

"Stay invisible as long as you can, Bro. Let me handle this."

Grinning under his helmet, Tatsumi raised his armored leg and roared with excitement as he spoke.

"KNOCK KNOCK!"

Slamming his one-ton armored foot into the gargantuan door into the palace, Tatsumi and Bro watched as the door shattered inward with the force of a bomb blast, thousands of splinters flying inwards as pained screams were heard from inside! Stepping over the ruined door and the bleeding soldiers within, Tatsumi paused for a moment and looked up at the top floor of the palace, noting the massive hole he had broken in the side of the wall was still unpatched, and continued on, summoning his shields as he spoke.

"Let's capture us an emperor."

 **The top floor of the palace**

Walking along the palace hallways until she arrived in her personal room where that armored night raid assassin had jumped out of and destroyed her wall, Esdeath walked over to the hole that was still in her wall and happened to glance down at the gate to enter the palace on a whim and raised an eyebrow as she saw it blast inwards! Instantly on guard as she narrowed her eyes, her eyes widened considerably as she saw that Demonic-looking black armored boy striding into the courtyard as if he owned the place! The room around her suddenly frozen in ice, Esdeath curtly turned and strode back down the corridors as a cold grin crossed her lips.

 _The escaped assassin as returned to my grip…..this time, I'll make sure to break him before he gets away._


	4. Chapter 4: Thunder god Vs Ice Queen

**Chapter four: Thunder God Vs Ice Queen**

As Jacob and a now fully visible Bro made their way through the front door of the palace into the halls of the palace itself, Bro actually laughed as he simultaneously held off and killed seven guards at once!

"Man, this is great! I never thought I'd be storming the imperial palace like this in my lifetime, Tatsumi!"

Watching incredulously as Bulat's ferocious swinging of his spear began to make gusts of winds blast around the room, Tatsumi sighed under his helmet as he watched the last of the guards in the room die, cut to pieces by Bulat's spear!

"Man, Bro…you're awesome."

Swinging his spear hard once to shake the blood from it, Bulat chuckled under his helmet as he made his way to the staircase upwards to the next level of the palace, turning back slightly as he spoke.

"Nah, Just really good with a spear…..But from here on Tatsumi, we need to be on our guard more than ever, ok?"

Following him up the stairs, Tatsumi nodded as he summoned his massive greatshields as they came out of the stairwell into a massive hallway with elaborate red carpeting and drapery that made Tatsumi whistle in appreciation as the two armored warriors made their way into the room.

"Gotcha, bro. Think we'll ever find someone who'll ever give us a run for our money?"

As Tatsumi laughed, he yelped as Bulat smacked him upside the head.

"Shut it, ok? If you say shit like that, the universe is honor bound to screw with us-"

Before he could even finish, a loud voice boomed over the room as a thunderclap rolled over them.

"You two won't be leaving here alive….on my honor as commander of the guard!"

As the two of them turned slowly towards the center of the room, the gulped as they saw Great General Budo towering before them, cracking his knuckles as he removed his massive shoulder pauldrons.

 **A few Minutes earlier, The throne room**

"Your highness, the palace has been invaded! Please…..evacuate!"

As a soldier begged the emperor to evacuate, the little boy waved his hand and turned to Budo and Esdeath, who were standing before him, and spoke.

"Nonsense! With Great General Budo and General Esdeath here, we can't possibly lose to two paltry invaders, right minister?"

Taking another chunk out of a large hunk of meat, the minister nodded.

"Of course not, your majesty! This is the palace, after all!"

Nodding in satisfaction, the emperor turned back to Budo and Esdeath and spoke.

"I assume you two can take care of this?"

As Esdeath opened her mouth to speak, Budo's commanding voice silenced her as his voice rang out over the room.

"I will silence them, you Majesty….I swear it."

As he strode off, his massive shoulder pauldrons clanging as he did so, Esdeath spoke beside him with a voice that betrayed her annoyance.

"You never know when to let your betters do the work, do you….old geezer?"

Tiny Lightning bolts flashing across his armor, Budo huffed in anger as he continued to walk, his voice full of venom as he made his way downstairs.

"Silence, Woman. Here in the palace, It is I who hold seniority….not you. Stay here and protect the emperor while I dispose of the trash."

Huffing indignantly, Esdeath strode back into the throne room as she sent a small spike of ice hurtling towards Budo's back, which promptly disintegrated upon coming near him. Inside of his head, Budo sighed internally.

 _That damnable woman._

 **Back in the grand hallway of the palace**

His teeth Rattling as a bolt of Budo's lightning slammed into his shields, Tatsumi gritted his teeth as he called out to Budo from across the room.

"Wait! I said wait! I have something to give to you before we get into this!"

Lowering his hands, Budo's eyebrows twitched as he replied.

"Oh? Sadly, I am expecting no packages from any assassins….so I must decline."

Tatsumi grunted as another bolt of lightning slammed into his shields, his voice angry as he spoke back.

"It's not from us, you idiot! Arthur Caldwell told us to give this to you!"

Upon hearing that name, Budo instantly dropped his arms and narrowed his arms, his voice slightly less terrifying as he spoke.

"Hrmm….Arthur Caldwell, you say? Impossible."

Tossing the ring to him, Budo caught the ring in his massive hands and glanced at it as Tatsumi spoke.

"Just put that damned ring on, would ya? You can kill us afterwards."

His eyes examining the ring for any obvious traps, Budo sighed and spoke.

"I cannot ignore this ring if it truly is from whom you claim….although packages from a dead person were not on my list of things I expected to get today."

Slipping the ring onto his finger and blinking once as it suddenly slipped off, Budo seemed out of it as he glanced towards Tatsumi and Bulat, his voice hoarse as he spoke.

"You…..weren't lying….it seems."

Hesitating as they waited to see what Budo would do, Neither Tatsumi nor Bulat lowered their guards until Budo spoke once more, slipping his pauldrons back on as he suddenly made his way to a door on the far side of the room, his hand motioning for them to follow as he spoke.

"It seems you two are not the assassins I thought you to be…..interesting. Follow me, please. I owe you for delivering this ring to me."

Their eyes meeting for a moment, Bulat seemed to shrug as if to say _what could go wrong?_ , which only elicted an amused grunt from Tatsumi as the two began to follow the gargantuan man out of the room and up the stairs as Budo continued to speak.

"This ring told me much of my family's legacy….and for that, you have my eternal thanks, warriors. You are lucky…..to have found the corpse of the man who started my bloodline, which not even the infinite men of the first emperor could not do after the rebellion…interesting. Ah, here we are…."

Stepping off the stairway and into a tiny hallway, the two guards who stood guard at a door glanced at Budo, then at Tatsumi and Bulat, and looked surprised.

"Budo, Sir...! That's…..Incursio! That Teigu is with Night raid!"

Budo merely grunted as he opened the door to his personal quarters and beckoned Tatsumi and Bulat to follow, his massive frame barely fitting in the door as he spoke.

"You fools know not of what you speak, so silence yourselves."

As Budo opened what looked like an ancient chest on the far side of the room, Bulat coughed awkwardly as he spoke.

"So, is this where you plan on trying to kill us, huh? That's what this is, right? We came to kill your emperor, so you pretended to agree with us and led us here to get the dr-"

Before Bro could finish, Budo's commanding voice boomed outwards as he spoke in a tired tone.

"Silence, you fool! You think I, the Great General Budo, would resort to such cowardly Tactics to kill two cocky assassins such as yourselves? Pah. If I wanted you dead, I would never have let you leave that hallway alive. No…that ring told me many things…important things."

A thought coming to Tatsumi's mind, he spoke from beneath his helmet.

"How long did you speak to Arthur in that ring?"

His body freezing for a moment, Budo spoke a few seconds later.

"Many hours, I think…..I do not know. He told me much of his duties in life, his family, how he stood by the First Emperor's side through their entire lives…he told me much I did not know….he opened my eyes."

Neither Tatsumi nor Bulat had any words as Budo continued.

"My family has protected this empire and the emperor for a thousand years, never wavering and never faltering in doing so for as long as each of us lived…..and yet, It is during my watch the empire has fallen into such a pathetic state. I had believed that my duty to protect the emperor and serve the empire must be followed at all costs, no matter what I must do to do so…..but Arthur told me that my belief in the empire may have been misplaced. I am not blind….I saw how far this empire has fallen…but I swore I would never resort to such cowardly tactics as Night raid, assassinating targets in the night….pathetic. I have decided….."

Suddenly standing up, Budo turned to Tatsumi and Bulat as he slipped something into his belt and spoke with a face that almost made Tatsumi shit himself as Budo spoke.

"I have decided that the only way to protect the empire and Serve the emperor now….is to kill that worthless man at his side, Honest…the minister. As always….I shall protect this glorious empire by purifying the filth that have infested its heart!"

Taking a step back, Tatsumi spoke with a soft voice as Budo slammed his fists together, making a small lightning storm inside of the room as he turned to Tatsumi.

"So….are you on our side?"

Budo snorted as he replied.

"That depends. Do you plan on killing the emperor?"

Glancing at each other, Bulat and Tatsumi shook their heads as Bulat spoke.

"Actually, no. You see….."

Telling Budo how they found Arthur's corpse and of the message they had found beside his body, Budo's eyes went wide as dinner plates as he put his hand to his chin and spoke.

"The forge of the Teigu….interesting! And to enter this place, you need his highness, do you? Well then…."

Budo slammed his fist onto his thick breastplate as he spoke.

"You may count me among your allies, young warriors. So long as you do not wish harm upon his highness….I have no problem with you. In any case, I believe I may be of use in getting us to the throne room….."

Looking at each other, Tatsumi and Bulat nodded at each other as Budo led them out of his room and up the stairs once more, speaking as they walked.

"None will challenge me until we get to the throne room…..do not worry. Once there, we shall borrow his highness so we may reach the forge of the Teigu….but after that, I shall let no harm come to his highness. Harm one hair on his head….and I will impale your corpses upon the walls of the palace as a reminder to all who would threaten his highness."

Shivering, Tatsumi scratched his head and spoke.

"Yeah…no worries. For the most part, I think the minister is what's corrupting the emperor, so if we kill him, I think we can turn the emperor back into the man he was supposed to be."

As he combed his hair, Bulat nodded in agreement.

"Yea, I agree…..the minister is who we're after, not the squirt. Even in Night Raid, not even the boss really talked about killing the emperor that often….I'm pretty sure that kid can be straightened out if we get rid of the bastard who's corrupting him."

Pausing, Budo glanced backwards at Tatsumi and Bulat as he spoke suddenly.

"Back at night raid? As in you two are no longer with them?"

Scratching his head, Tatsumi nodded.

"Yeah. Bit of a falling out."

Budo seemed pleased at this news as he resumed his walk up the stairs.

"Good. This means I am not sullying my name by working with cowardly assassins. Now, we're almost-hm? Who goes there….?"

Equipping their Teigu in an eyeblink, Tatsumi and Bulat walked beside Budo and noticed three forms standing their way, the one in the middle speaking with a voice that seemed to make Bulat tense up.

"Great General Budo…Esdeath-sama has ordered us to kill those two men beside you. Have you sided with them?"

Budo laughed threateningly as lightning bolts danced across his cloak, his voice deadly serious as he spoke.

"You three….that woman's mongrels. I advise you step out of the way, lest I break the three of you into tiny pieces which I shall send back to that general of yours in a box."

None of the three men in black before them flinched as the one on the left spoke.

"Hah! You don't scare us, you old geezer! I bet if I kill you, I'll get a boatload of experience points!"

Budo's aura began to dance with static electricity as he spoke, his voice sending chills up Tatsumi spine as he let his gargantuan pauldrons fall to the ground, cracking his neck as he spoke.

"That woman needs to learn how to leash her dogs. No matter….."

Before anyone could even blink, Budo's hulking form was suddenly standing right in front of where the man on the right had been, his head in Budo's massive hand as Budo chuckled and spoke.

"Your life is forfeit."

As the other two men actually gasped, one of them actually spoke!

"Daidara!"

Before either of them could even move, the man they had called Daidara's head literally exploded in Budo's hand as Budo crushed it, showering his armor with gore as he tossed the headless corpse so hard at the other two Tatsumi actually heard bones breaking as he laughed, wiping the blood off his armor as he spoke.

"Pathetic. All of her talk of 'Strength', and I crush one of her beast's heads with my bare hands!"

Glancing down at the two unconscious forms of the two other Beasts, Budo motioned for Tatsumi and Bulat to follow as they continued their ascent, Budo's hulking form swaying as he walked.

"Sweet! With that power, Esdeath'll be dead in no time!"

Budo said nothing as he continued to walk, merely sighing and speaking only several seconds.

"As much as we may not get along, that woman is strong. I believe only I am able to match her in single combat in the entire empire….she is not to be trifled with. And most importantly…..there will be no persuading her to join us. She respects only strength, and has absolutely no concern with politics at all. No….I will have to fight her."

Strangely, Bulat sighed and spoke.

"Don't pretend we're not here, old man. We're not just decorations, we can actually FIGHT, you know."

Stopping as the three of them walked off the steps and onto the top floor of the palace, Budo turned back to them and grunted.

"I suppose. At the least, you'll be more useful than the guardsmen I train…..hmph. Fine then, if you shut up and obey my orders maybe we'll be able to beat that ice woman!"

As both Tatsumi and Bulat equipped their armor as the three of them walked through the massive door and into the throne room, everyone but Budo tensed up as they saw Esdeath standing in front of them with the Emperor behind her, the minister nowhere in sight as Esdeath glanced at Budo and scoffed.

"Siding with those assassins, you old geezer? What about your honor?"

Budo spat onto the carpet as he replied, Tatsumi and Bulat slowly circling to either side of Esdeath as he did so.

"Pah! I have sided with no one. I have merely decided that the best way to serve the emperor and protect this glorious empire is to take action myself, and kill that repugnant minister!"

Esdeath merely raised an eyebrow and glanced at Tatsumi and Bulat as she replied.

"Oh? And does that make these two your subordinates now, then….? Most interesting! I think I shall enjoy breaking these two, and finally breaking YOU into the dust!"

Budo merely laughed as he cracked his neck, tossing what little remained of Daidara's head at Esdeath's feet as he spoke.

"You had best surrender, woman….lest you end up with the same fate as your beast here."

Suprisingly, Esdeath merely looked mildly interested as she punted the remains of Daidara across the room and continued.

"You killed Daidara, did you? No matter….Maybe I'll turn one of your subordinates into his replacement once I beat all of you!"

Letting his pauldrons fall away with a massive CLANG, Budo cracked his knuckles and prepped his Teigu for battle as he spoke.

"We shall see."

Before either Tatsumi or Bulat could even React, Budo Shot a lightning bolt dead straight at Esdeath, who merely summoned an ice bolt to deflect it as Budo's voice boomed across the throne room.

"NOW!"

Snapping her to Tatsumi as he let out a bellow and lumbered forward inside of Pluto, she leapt backwards to avoid his charge and Budo's lightning, and was at the peak of her jump when she saw Bulat re-materialize in Incursio right below her, leaping upwards to try and finish her off!

"You'll need to try harder to finish me off!"

Summoning a massive column of ice, Esdeath shot herself sideways in mid-air and watched as Tatsumi and Bulat collided, about to land happily when she saw a massive shadow fall over her, Budo's voice coming from behind her as she hit the ground!

"Too slow!"

Summoning a wall of ice before her just as Budo dropped his lightning covered fist like a trip hammer, Esdeath's teeth rattled as her ice shattered into a million pieces with the sound of a thunderclap as Budo stepped through the steam produced by his punch, ice clanking off his armor as he spoke.

"We may be matched in one on one combat, but with those two here….YOU'RE OUTCLASSED!"

Grunting in annoyance as she leapt backwards and avoided a spear lunge from Bulat and incursion, she drew her rapier and grinned as she snapped her fingers and plunged the whole throne room into a miniature ice age, coating everything but the emperor, Budo, Tatsumi and Bulat with ice!

"You seem to misunderstand, Geezer…No one defies me and lives to tell the tale!"

Summoning a truly stupid amount of ice spears and shards around her, she grinned as she shot them all at Bulat and Budo, immobilizing them for a moment as she raced over to Tatsumi and Pluto, running her hand over his armor as she spoke.

"This armor will only get in my way….I cannot allow you to live."

As Tatsumi felt his skin freezing solid from her touch even inside his armor, he managed to speak as he felt his trachea freezing shut.

"You…..can't….stop….us…we'll….find….the heavenly…..forge!"

As if hearing something he had forgotten about, Just as Esdeath was about to snap freeze Tatsumi everyone froze as they heard the Emperor's child-like voice come from the throne, his voice surprisingly commanding as he spoke!

"STOP! Stand down, General Esdeath!"

Gritting her teeth, she made no move to stop as the emperor spoke once more.

"I command you to stop this instant! That man just said something concerning something I heard from my father, so you will cease this right now until I can get what he knows!"

But Esdeath turned the emperor and grinned.

"Hmmmm….no. I'll stop once I break these three…how about that? So you just sit tight, and…."

As she sent a blast of ice his way, her eyes suddenly widened as Budo appeared before the ice blast, not even budging as it splashed against his thick armor as he chuckled. Taking a step towards her, Budo slammed his right fist into his left palm as lightning danced up and down his arms, getting to Esdeath and raising his left fist back as he spoke.

"You shouldn't have done that."

Esdeath summoned an icy pair of fists alongside her, narrowing her eyes as she merely scoffed.

"Tch."

For a single second, Tatsumi and Bulat watched on as neither of them moved, having enough time to glance at one another before Budo's lightning enhanced punches and Esdeath's ice-fists flew into high gear, thunderclaps ringing out as their fists moved so fast they almost looked like they were multiplying and colliding in midair as they roared out battle cries!

"ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA!"

And from Esdeath, came another roar of challenge as their fists continued to shake the entire palace, lightning dancing all across the room and ice forming on the walls as they fought.

"MUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDA!'

As this went on for almost two whole minutes, Tatsumi and Bulat barely got out of the way as a massive BANG was heard as Esdeath was catapulted across the room and out of the throne room door! Glancing at the woman-shaped hole in the door to the throne room then glancing back at Budo, Tatsumi and bulat watched as Lightning danced all around him like a miniature hurricane, steam rising from his fists and armor as he exhaled loudly and slowly, a thin trail of steam rising from his lips as he did so. To Tatsumi and Bulat, his electric yellow hair almost seemed to be about to strike the air itself as it waved around as if being pushed around by an invisible breeze!

"Haaaaaa…"

Taking a moment to gather himself and his thoughts, Budo turned around slowly to the emperor and bowed slightly as he retrieved his pauldrons and put them on as he spoke.

"Highness….are you harmed?"

His eyes wide and somewhat looking fearful, the emperor spoke with a trembling voice.

"N-N-No, I am fine….good work, General. To think…she would attack me, the emperor?! I shall-"

This time it was Tatsumi who interrupted as he heard a female scream with rage and begin barging down the corridor.

"Yeah, Uh….we need to go if we're going to get to the Heavenly Forge…Ah, shit."

Watching as the throne room doors burst open and catapulted across the room, Budo simply slapped the massive one ton doors aside like paper as they all watched Esdeath storm into the room, a miniature ice tornado around her as she spoke.

"I….will break…all of you! Not a single one shall be left with their minds intact when I am done with you!"

The emperor seemed to realize their situation as he spoke hurriedly to Tatsumi.

"The-The Heavenly Forge, you say…..? If you know the location of this artifact of my ancestors, I command you tell me at once!"

Tatsumi grunted as he blocked an ice spear from Esdeath, speaking afterwards.

"Ouch…..Yeah, no problem, _sir._ Thing is, we're kinda in danger of an imminent ass kicking, so could we….?"

The emperor cut him off with a hasty nod.

"Oh…Oh! Yes, please get us there with all due haste, please hurry! Any damage to my palace can be repaired, so spare no expense with getting us there!"

Tatsumi grinned under his helmet as he spoke.

"Oh, yeah….everyone, if you would please gather around me, this shall be a one way trip to the basement!"

As Budo scooped the tiny boy emperor up and let him ride on his shoulder, the moment everyone was clustered tightly around Tatsumi he slammed his shields together and spoke happily as he deflected an attack by Esdeath.

"Right, then! Express elevator to the basement…..GOING DOWN!"

Raising his shields and slamming them into the ground with all his might, Esdeath stopped mid-attack as the floor beneath Tatsumi and his group cracked into a massive spiderweb pattern, even her voice growing shaky as he stepped back and spoke.

"You wouldn't…"

Tatsumi only spoke with a voice so cocky it was practically dripping with arrogance.

"Oh….. _I would._ You lose."

Letting out an enraged roar as she summoned a gargantuan number of ice projectiles and drew her rapier, just as she sent them flying at Tastumi and the rest of the group he slammed his shields once more into the ground, everyone's thrill induced screams resonating around the room as the floor gave out and they went hurtling downwards! Breaking through floor after floor due to the combined weight of Pluto, Incursio, and Budo's massive muscle mass and armor weight, loud BANG noises rang out like machine gun blasts as the group fell through each and every floor in the palace, crashing from the top floor down all 100 floors all the way into the basement, crashing into the group and falling straight into the hidden room! As everyone groaned and glanced around the dusty room that hadn't seen use in almost 1000 years, the emperor made an excited squeal just as a child would and rushed over to a door embossed in solid gold on the far side of the room.

"Amazing…..just as father said it was! And to think…..the minister even told me it was fake…..the emperor is never wrong!"

As soon as he had said that, Budo whacked the emperor upside the head as he spoke in a harsh tone.

"Take care with saying such things, majesty. It was such thinking that lead to the pitiful state your empire is in."

Looking angry but not saying anything, the emperor turned back to the door and gasped along with everyone else as a handprint appeared on the door where he had touched it just a second ago! Astounded, Tatsumi spoke.

"The message was right…..it's responding to the blood of the emperor!"

As the door slowly creaked open and revealed nothing but a golden glow from the other side, everyone's admiration of the glow was cut short as Esdeath's voice was heard several floors above them.

"YOU CAN'T ESCAPE! I'LL KILL YOU ALL!"

As everyone hurriedly piled in the door, Tatsumi glanced at Bro and smirked.

"Sorry Bro, I can't resist."

Leaning his head and looking back up the hole they had made in the ceiling, Tatsumi cupped his hands to his mouth and yelled back up the shaft to Esdeath.

"CALM DOWN! WHAT, IS IT THAT TIME OF THE MONTH?"

Hearing an enraged yell from a few floors up as a pillar size ice spear shot through three floors and impaled itself right beside Tatsumi, he began to sweat as he backpedaled to the door and sighed.

"Seems as though she isn't in the joking mood."

Bulat didn't even have time to scold him as he force Tatsumi into the door and used all his strength to begin closing it, barely closing in time before Esdeath's ice smashed against the other side of the door! As everyone breathed a sigh of relief and turned around to see where they were, they all gasped as they saw the most beautiful and elaborate golden machine any of them had ever seen in the far side of the valley-like room they were in. Watching as twin Lava and Water flows came from either side of the machine and seemed to go right into the inner workings to provide power, the emperor reached out his hand slowly and spoke, as if he was trying to grab ahold of the legacy that seemed to hang in the air along around them, like they were standing in the presence of greatness long gone.

"This…..was where my ancestor, the first emperor…he created all this empire is from this very room…it's just as beautiful as father told me it would be."

As if responding to the young emperor's voice, a small hatch opened in the floor right in front of him as a person-shaped thing rose from it, its form quickly revealed to be that of a normal looking human with the exception of demonic looking spikes that extruded from his elbows and shoulders. A dapper black suit that looked flawless made no noise as the thing bowed and spoke with a voice as soft as velvet.

"Greetings, your majesty…I am the biological Teigu known as Svarthad, advisor to the gods. I have awaited your arrival for quite a long time…we have much to discuss."

As Svarthad's pitch black eyes blinked, no one had any words for him as he grinned devilishly, Tatsumi's thoughts racing as he stood there, finally settling upon a simple realization.

 _We're finally here._

 **Hey, this chapter was my favorite to write so far! Anyway, I'm super hyped that I worked a new companion into Tatsumi and Bulat's group, and especially so that it was Great General Budo! For those who got the reference to a show I placed in this chapter, good on you! (Hint hint: It was a reference to** _ **Jojo's bizarre adventure)**_ **It was mostly for my own amusement as I wrote, but I think it turned out to be a neat little Easter egg or something. Anyway, thanks for reading and look forward to the next chapter! As always, feel free to leave reviews if you have comments! (At least try to keep the reviews helpful, though. No shit talking if you can help it.)**


	5. Chapter 5: Pluto Unbound

**Chapter 5: Pluto Unbound**

Blinking once, Tatsumi could only say what he had just said once more.

"What…?"

Grinning like the devil himself, Svarthad adjusted his cufflinks as he spoke once more glancing at the emperor who was still sitting on Budo's massive shoulder as he did so.

"As I said before…..The emperor himself is my owner. The first emperor designed me so that so long as his blood continued to exist and run through the veins of his descendants, I would continue to function and perform my duties as janitor to this wonderful forge…..thus insuring the forge would only work so long as the bloodline of the first emperor lived on, no?"

The little emperor spoke up before Tatsumi had a chance to speak.

"I see….most interesting. So then Svarthad, may we see the forge up close?"

The organic teigu seemed to glance around at everyone before him as he bowed elaborately and spoke.

"Of course, you majesty…but before we get to any of that…I believe this big man here has something that belongs to this forge."

Budo's eyebrows shot up as he slowly retrieved a golden piece of metal that was the shape of a disc and about six inches thick as Svarthad snatched it.

"Wait….this is a part of the forge?!"

Svarthad looked over the piece of machinery for a moment before nodding graciously and speaking.

"Of course. My original master, the First Emperor…..he was wary of the forge he had created, so it seems he broke off a vital piece of the forge mere days before his death to ensure it would only resurface when a worthy target of its power had been found."

Budo scratched his chin for a moment before replying.

"So the heirloom that has been passed down my family since the time of Arthur….it was a vital piece of the Heavenly Forge….? Why would…"

Svarthad interrupted suddenly as he spoke.

"No, no…this is not vital for the Forge to _function,_ my dear fellow…..it's required for the secondary function the first emperor commissioned a week before his death."

Everyone's eyes went wide as the emperor spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Secondary…function…..?"

Svarthad nodded as he continued.

"Yes. After the rebellion had been quelled and his majesty witnessed the terrifying power of the 48 Teigu he had created, he knew that they would be his legacy for as long as his empire endured…and he wanted more. So as his health continued to decline, he gathered what few people remained from the original building of the forge some ten years prior and, in secret, they commissioned the secondary function of this forge….. _Heaven's Combination._ Sadly, before the function could ever be used his majesty seemed to come to the decision that it was too powerful, even for the standards he had set for the Teigu….so he broke off this piece that allowed it to function and removed the one object made to test its functionality, it seems."

As everyone tried to process this as Svarthad twirled the disc in his hands, Bulat spoke.

"So wait…..what does this 'Secondary Function' do, exactly? Make more powerful Teigu…?"

Svarthad actually chuckled softly as he reached into Budo's belt and pulled out another object about the size of a small child, pitch black in color and radiating pure power as he replied.

"Ah, here it is….Anyway, you are wrong. _Heaven's Combination_ does exactly like it sounds like it should do…it combines two Teigu into a single, more powerful one with the functionality of both fully intact. In truth, a function that was so dangerous his majesty feared for the safe of the world itself if the wrong people ever found it. As to this black stone that this giant man here had…..this is the only test subject created by the forge for the express purpose of combination with another Teigu. It was never designed to be used by itself, but its latent powers shall be unlocked, I think, once it is combined with another."

Budo seemed to frown as he spoke.

"Interesting…the first emperor trusted Arthur immensely if he gave him such powerful artifacts to look after…!"

As if remembering a memory that had not surfaced in a while, Svarthad sighed.

"That man, Arthur…..he never left his majesties side. His majesty took him everywhere and told him everything, with the obvious exception of this room, and trusted him implicitly. I told his majesty giving that man such powerful items was a mistake….but it seems he proved me wrong in the end, hmmm? Hah."

Clapping his hands together in an effort to change topics, Svarthad spoke in a jovial voice as he turned to Tatsumi.

"You there, young man….if everyone else could stay here, I must give something to this man."

As everyone nodded slowly, Svarthad took Tatsumi by the shoulder and led him down the grassy slope they had been standing on and down onto the plains where the great golden forge stood, lava and water gushing into its core as Svarthad spoke once they had left everyone's earshot.

"Young man…..it is time to make Pluto what it was truly meant to be."

His eyes going wide, Tatsumi glanced at Svarthad as he tried to find words to describe what he was feeling.

"Wha…? What do you even mean by that?"

The Teigu chuckled as he patted Pluto's necklace.

"Your Teigu, Pluto…it is exceedingly unique. This Teigu was the first of the 48 teigu to ever be forged, born from the carcass of a Danger beast so powerful it took the King's entire army to bring it down…..a beast that was described as 'The moving Mountain', it took almost five years to bring down. Given to Arthur Caldwell upon its creation as a symbol of the Kings military might, Pluto was created as a flawed Teigu….partially because the beast it was made from was probably the only one of its kind. You see, from what I was told by his majesty, after felling the beast and removing the core which was needed for the forging process, the King and his army watched as the carcass of the beast suddenly got up and began to move once more, as if by magic! Too weary to give chase, the beast was thought lost until after the rebellion, when the aging king led one final expedition as a sort of reminder of all he had accomplished. While it was merely intended as a glorified walk, several of his Teigu-wielding bodyguards accompanied him, and soon enough they saw the same beast they had watched run away so long ago! Killing it once more with the power of his bodyguards, the king and his guards looked on in astonishment as another core dropped from the carcass of the beast! Realizing this beast was not one beast, but _**two**_ Ultra Class danger beasts made into one over a thousand years, the king attempted to make it into a Teigu but only found it to come out as this lump that possessed the same energy as Pluto had….as if it yearned to be reunited with its sibling Teigu once more. Sadly, at this point Arthur had fallen and his corpse had not been found, so the King passed it on to his descendants who had also been given this disk, as he could only hope it would find Pluto's user in time. Do you understand, young man….? Once we fuse the two halves that should never have been apart, you will be wielding a Teigu so unlike any other of its kind, it may…it may break you, body and soul. Not a single soul has ever withstood the pressure of wielding two Teigu at once, each and every one who had the capability to do so had their mind and body broken into shards the instant they tried. Do you still wish to do this, knowing you may break and go insane, forced to be put down like a rabid beast?"

Stopping for a moment, Tatsumi seemed to think intently before clenching his fist and gritting his teeth as he spoke with a voice as thick as steel.

"Yes. If I backed down now…..there's no way I could ever face Sayo or Ieyasu ever again, not to mention Bro, or my village…..No, I need this power to fight Esdeath, to fight for what I believe in! As cheesy as this might sound, as much as I sound like a child….I'll make this power my own, for my friends, and to defeat the evil that still lurks within this empire!"

Svarthad smiled proudly as he spoke.

"As expected of the wielder of Arthur-sama's Teigu…truly extraordinary. Very well then…..please, hand me your necklace so we may begin to forging process."

Reluctantly handing the Teigu his necklace, Tatsumi watched as Svarthad wrapped it around the black hunk of metal in his hand and slipped it into a small receptacle on the side of the forge as he put the disk back into its slot and tapped a few buttons. Turning to Tatsumi as his finger hovered on the button that would presumably start the process, Svarthad spoke in a serious tone.

"Young man…I ask again, are you sure of your decision? Even if hell itself awaits you, even if the burning flames of purgatory consume your soul and your mind shatters like a toothpick, will you take on that burden and walk forth? Will you face the mountain that stands before you, or will you run away?"

Grinning, Tatsumi spoke without hesitation.

"You know….Pluto told me that the user of it 'must be strong enough to smile whenever he stands on the door of death, he must be valiantly enough to fight until blood gushes from his every pore when outnumbered a million to one with nothing but a broken dagger….he must be willing to fight the unfightable, withstand the strongest of tides, and push back the strongest of mountains.'…so if I turned back now, I wouldn't be worthy of wielding it. Let's do this!"

Nodding, Svarthad pushed the button and grinned as loud whirring and clanking sounds were heard from the forge as plumes of lava shot from its dome and water gushed from its sides as the process begun.

"So it begins, young man."

 _BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG._

As the incessant pounding seemed to get louder and louder, just as Tatsumi thought it would puncture his eardrums it stopped as steam shot from every facet of the machine as a dark, viscous fluid seeped from the machine and into a small receptacle at its side as Svarthad scooped it up into a glass and spoke as he turned to Tatsumi, glass in hand.

"You must drink this, young man. You will no longer have anything to wear to activate your Teigu….it will be a part of you."

Taking the chalice and glancing at the dark, frothing liquid inside of it, Tatsumi said nothing as he downed the entire chalice! Wiping the leftover liquid from the corner of his mouth, he was about to make a witty comment but was cut short as pain shot through his body, pain so intense he grasped his head as he began to scream at the top of his lungs! Watching as Black light shot from Tatsumi's eyeballs, his skin flashing black and white as he actually began to vibrate, Svarthad gripped the Forge as the sound of Rattling chains was heard from seemingly everywhere at once!

"It begins! COME FORTH, PLUTO UNBOUND!"

Back at the entrance to the forge, Budo and the others gasped as the air itself seemed to begin to vibrate as Tatsumi's otherworldly screams began to resonate throughout the chamber, the entire gargantuan room rattling like it was coming apart as even Budo was bowled over like a toothpick, falling over as the room shook like a thing possessed!

"What…..what is this feeling?!"

As the shaking only got worse, the emperor and everyone else gasped as thick, cast iron chains appeared from every facet of the room as far as the eyes could see, appearing from black portals in mid-air and flying across every inch of free space in the room as Svarthad's voice was heard from down by the forge.

"RISE, PLUTO UNBOUND! AWAKEN, AND BIND HEAVEN AND EARTH WITH YOUR POWERRRRR!"

 **Outside the secret room of the heavenly forge**

As Esdeath and the minister stood in the throne room, their conversation was cut short as the entire palace began to rattle like god himself was shaking it with his fists, the rattling so fierce paintings fell off the walls and the walls themselves began to shake loose!

"E-Esdeath-shogun! What is g-going on?!"

Before she could even respond, a loud GONG was heard once, then twice as flaming letters appeared etched into the stonework above the emperor's throne!

 _ **THE BROKEN ONE IS WHOLE AGAIN**_

Esdeath's eyes went wide as she spoke with a hushed voice.

"Wha-? What does…that mean?"

The minister stared at it with incredulous eyes and said nothing.

 **Outside the palace**

As Leone walked along the streets following the day-old scent of Bulat and Tatsumi, she stopped in her tracks as an earsplitting BANG was heard, turning just in time to see the tip of the palace come crashing down! Incredulous, she could barely speak as the very walls of the palace began to shake as chains appeared from nowhere, sometimes in mid-air, and wrapped around every inch of the palace!

"Impossible….the palace…breaking apart…?"

 **Back in the room of the heavenly forge**

As Svarthad continued to hold on as Tatsumi's body continued to pulse with power, the tremors began to die down and soon stopped as Tatsumi's body returned to normal, his eyes closed as Svarthad hesitantly spoke.

"Y-Young…man?"

His eyes flying open, Svarthad gasped as he saw Tatsumi's left eye had gone pitch black! As Tatsumi rubbed his head and barely managed to stand up, he spoke softly.

"Urgh…..my head…What….happened?"

Svarthad stared in awe at Tatsumi for a few seconds before grabbing a ring the forge had spit out after the liquid as he spoke, rubbing his fingers over the black jewel in the ring.

"You survived the re-unification process….amazing! Young man, you are most definitely worthy of being the wielder of your new Teigu."

Tatsumi's eyes widened as he spoke.

"New…..Teigu? Do I no longer wield Pluto?"

Svarthad waved his hand dismissively as he replied.

"Well…..yes and no. Puto is only half of what you wield, after all…..as of now, you no longer wield Pluto, the deathless armor….."

Pausing for dramatic effect, Svarthad continued.

"What now runs through your veins, and this ring…..you wield Pluto unbound, the deathless chains of purgatory!"

Glancing down at his hand as his left eye twitched, Tatsumi's one normal eye narrowed as he spoke.

"I can feel them….they call to me. They tell me I am no longer human."

Svarthad seemed confused at this, and he spoke to Tatsumi with confusion in his eyes.

"Who? Wait, who are you talking to?"

Glancing up, Tatsumi also looked confused as he spoke.

"Can you not hear them? It's all I _can_ hear!"

Before Svarthad could respond, Tatsumi gripped his head and cried out in pain as a visible, black aura that made the ground quake became visible around him, waves of darkness rippling outwards from the boy as he spoke!

"It hurts…It hurts! Make it….make it stop!"

As if replying to himself, Tatsumi spoke once more in a deeper, more bestial voice.

"Shut your mouth, whelp! You think I would be so quiet after becoming whole after all these years? No…this is the time of my glorious rebirth!"

Tatsumi could only double over in pain as he spoke to himself once more, his voice once again his own.

"It's my body! GET OUT!"

The other voice only laughed as it spoke once more.

"WRONG! My blood now flows through your veins, boy! This may be your body, but my iron blood now runs through your veins!"

Tatsumi seemed to slowly regain control of his own body as he stood up straight once more, clenching his fist as his left eye continued to stay pitch black as he spoke.

"No…..I am in control here, Pluto. Not you! You…will….obey!"

As if fighting against himself, Tatsumi's aura once again became tangible as it began to rattle the forge, the ground, the walls, even the palace above it as the other voice spoke!

"A little cocky, aren't we? You think your pitiful human brain can take my full might, now that I'm back to my former glory?! Arthur, in all his greatness, couldn't handle wielding two Teigu at once, boy!"

Chains appearing from black portals at Tatsumi's feet and blowing in some invisible wind, Tatsumi's voice was heard, as strong as steel.

"Submit, Pluto! If you will not, I will make you by force…your will shall not overpower my own, not while I have my village to save, not while I fight for those I've lost! BEGONE!"

His aura suddenly shrinking down back to normal, the bestial voice was heard once more, weaker than before.

"Humph. You may have suppressed me this time, but I'll be back…when you least expect it."

As Tatsumi clenched his fist once more and his aura dissipated, he glanced back up at Svarthad as he spoke.

"It seems I'm no longer alone in my body, huh? Geez….I liked my solitude."

His eyes wide, Svarthad spoke in a voice that did little to hide his incredulousness.

"By his highness….you suppressed the spirit of the beast that dwells within your blood….? Fantastic….you are quite the amazing young man, you know that?"

Tatsumi grinned as he rubbed his hand through his hair, his old cocky, naïve self-returning a bit as he spoke.

"Aww…I'm just good, y'know? Anyway….I wanna see if my armor looks any different."

As he closed his eyes, Budo and the others walked up to the forge as Svarthad held out his hand and shook his head side to side, warning them to stay back as Tatsumi spoke softly, his eyes still closed.

"I've changed…It feels…different, summoning my armor from within myself like this. Hnnnnng….."

His eyes opening as he glanced at his hand just in time to see pitch black, dancing flames appear on and cover his hand, everyone gasped as Tatsumi spoke again.

"Huh. They don't hurt, but…..what's going on…?"

Watching as the flames slowly spread up his hand, sticking to his skin like leather as it reached his shoulder and began to spread across his chest, enveloping his whole body and eventually spreading up his neck and covering his head! As a pair of beady red eyes appeared on the pitch black, flaming helmet where Tatsumi's eyes would be, he yelped as chains slithered up from the ground and began to wrap around his flame-covered body, the flames seeming to die down as they wrapped around his entire body and seemed to bind the flames. Once the chains had wrapped around his legs, arms, chest and helmet and seemed to be keeping the flames in check, Tatsumi's flaming form raised his arms and spoke in a curious tone.

"Huh. This is certainly different than my armor from before…but it feels the same on the inside. Although…..I get the feeling these chains are keeping Pluto from overpowering me and taking control. Bro, try attacking me to see if this armor's as tough as it used to be! It would suck if I lost my defense just to look this cool….."

Nodding, Bulat was about to bring out Incursio when Budo grunted and a lightning bolt struck Tatsumi in the chest at point blank range, a massive KA-THOOM deafening everyone around him as he chuckled. Looking down at his the dark flames bound by chains that made up his chestplate, Tatsumi sighed happily as he spoke.

"Great…I didn't feel a thing. If anything, this armor got tougher! Now….can I summon my shields?"

As if responding to his will, the black flames slithered around underneath the chains, gathering before his hands and forming into twin slabs of black fire, new chains appearing from the flames and wrapping around the fiery shields! Sticking his hands into the slabs of black fire, Tatsumi seemed to grab something on them and hefted them, testing their weight as the flames that made up their forms dancing around in the air, as if the flames yearned for freedom as Tatsumi spoke happily.

"Even lighter than before, yet just as thick…I think. This new armor is awesome!"

As if trying to prove him wrong, the air around him seemed to warp for a split second, giving Budo just enough time to make a lightning shield around Tatsumi on instinct as a deafening blast rocked the cavern, black flames dancing on the inside of Budo's lightning shield as the chains on Tatsumi's armor began snapping, one by one! Hearing Tatsumi's pained screams from inside his armor as the flames that composed it began to rage out of control, Bro stepped forward to try and intervene but stopped as Tatsumi seemed to dispel the armor. Gasping for air as his skin showed signs of intense burns, Tatsumi fell to his knees as he spoke in a shaky voice.

"That…armor….it tried to devour me! I felt it trying to eat my mind and soul, to break me so Pluto could take over….dangerous. Looks like I'm too weak to even equip my Teigu as it stands now….damn it!"

Slamming his fist onto the grass beneath him, Tatsumi gritted his teeth as Svarthad came up beside him, holding a ring as he spoke.

"Young man….do not be discouraged. The mere fact you survived the combination alone is a testament to your will, I think…"

Waving his hand, Svarthad continued.

"In any case….please wear this ring at all times. It was produced alongside that liquid you drank, so I'm assuming it has some sort of significance to your power."

Slowly taking the ring and slipping it onto his finger, Tatsumi suddenly frowned as he spoke.

"Strange…I don't feel different."

Shrugging, Budo spoke.

"Try doing something with your Teigu again. Maybe it's something for holding it back….?"

Nodding, Tatsumi once again tried to summon the flames that looked like liquid darkness, but this time he could actually feel two separate power sources for him to draw on!

"Oh….? What's this feeling….?"

Raising his hands palms up and focusing on drawing out the new power he felt coming from the ring, he heard everyone gasp and opened his eyes to see the same cast iron chains dancing around him in a loose ball, spinning around him steadily! Glancing around, Tatsumi grinned.

"I guess this ring lets me access a tiny bit of my power without equipping my full armor, then? Good thing, since I don't think I'm quite ready for my armor yet."

Focusing enough so that the chains stopped spinning around him like a bubble shield, Tatsumi noticed razor sharp spear tips attaches to the ends of the chains that had stopped moving and was about to test out how he could manipulate them when a loud BANG was heard from the door! Frowning, Svarthad spoke with an annoyed voice.

"It seems someone is desperate to get in here….how impudent!"

Bulat spoke before anyone could.

"So wait, how do we get out of here if they have the front door surrounded…?"

Adjusting his cuff links, Svarthad glanced around at the forge and sighed, running his hand through his pitch black wavy hair as he spoke.

"There _is_ a back door that leads out of here….but I can sense a few troops over there too, unluckily. It doesn't seem they know of the entrance, they're just stationed there. If you wish to make a silent escape, I would recommend someone leaving through the front door as a distraction of sorts to draw their attention so the others could escape."

As if struck by lightning, Tatsumi leapt up and grinned widely as he spoke, his hands still in his pockets as the cast iron chains began to dance around him once more, as if excited by his emotions.

"That job's totally mine, no question!"

But it seems Bulat had other ideas as he frowned and spoke.

"No, Tatsumi. You're not even ready to wield half of your full power, and you want to go challenge Esdeath and her troops out there?!"

But Tatsumi's expression didn't change as he replied with fire in his eyes.

"Sorry Bro, but….."

As the chains dancing around him suddenly combined into one and shot into the air and vanished into a small purple wormhole, Bulat leapt back as the chain appeared in the air above him from a portal and slammed into the ground with a massive BANG, the spear tip embedding itself deep into the ground as Tatsumi spoke once more.

"You think I'm not ready? Che! Oh ye of little faith, bro! Even if I'm not quite as strong as you…there's no way in hell I'm gonna let my friends fight this battle for me, no way…..this is my fight, and my friends that I must protect!"

Slipping his hands back into his pockets as the chains once again formed around him, dancing around him as he put his hand on the door and grinned.

"Don't worry about me. Svarthad, get them out of here safely, ok?"

Svarthad merely bowed gracefully as he spoke.

"As you wish. Come come everybody, we must be leaving if this young man is going to distract the guards for us!"

Bulat seemed like he was about to speak, but sighed softly and grinned as he began to walk away, speaking as he did so.

"You idiot…..if you die, I swear…"

Tatsumi laughed loudly, the chains around him picking up pace as he spoke.

"You forget who I am, bro? This Teigu chose me for a reason…and I'm going to prove I'm worthy of wielding Pluto unbound, the deathless chains of purgatory!"

As Bulat laughed and continued to follow Svarthad, Tatsumi turned back to the door and cracked his knuckles as the chains around him stilled, as if sensing the incoming battle as Tatsumi spoke to himself.

"Let's rumble." Swinging the door open and grinning as he stuck his hands in his pockets, strolling straight out through the soldiers beyond and grinning as he stopped in the middle of them and spoke.

"You guys seen a woman around here….about yea tall, blue hair, generally pissed off?"

Glancing at each other, the soldiers seem taken aback as Tatsumi grinned as the chains around him began to spin in bigger arcs around him.

"I thought so."

Suddenly blasting outwards, the chains around him began whirling around Tatsumi like a tornado, their razor sharp tips tearing through the soldier's armor like butter as all dozen soldiers suddenly died! Grinning as he glanced around at the dozen bodies around him, Tatsumi walked up the stairs and blasted through the wall with his chains and out into the courtyard of the palace just as he heard a woman's voice from behind him.

"You…..the boy in the armor. I would ask where that traitor Budo went with the emperor…..but it'll be more fun to torture it out of you just before I kill you."

Turning around casually just as his chains wrapped around and stopped an ice spear, breaking it into ice chunks as he grinned and spoke.

"Oh really? Well, you're welcome to try, Esdeath. Before I got pluto, I would definitely not have been this fearless standing here….but this Teigu changed me, made me stronger. My will is iron, steel is my body and fire is my blood….I've endured so much pain to get this far…..the likes of you won't stop me now."

Grinning, Esdeath drew her rapier and summoned ice behind her as she spoke, pure malice in her voice.

"Good….the more you struggle…..the more fun it will be to break you!"

Grunting as Esdeath charged straight at him, Tatsumi's chains wrapped around her weapon as Tatsumi dodged around her ice shards as they impaled themselves into the ground around him, the last one breaking as he heard Esdeath snap free of his chains. Turning just in time to sidestep a lunge from her rapier, Tatsumi began to think to himself as he fought.

 _I'm outclassed here. If I risk it and equip Pluto now, I might win…..but I might lose myself in the process. Damn it….all this power, and I'm too weak to use any of it!_

His mind suddenly grasping upon something, Tatsumi grinned as he dodged another of Esdeath's attacks.

 _That's it! I couldn't before, but maybe now that Pluto is stronger…..I can bring about a partial manifestation of the armor!_

Focusing with all his might and grinning as the liquid darkness fire that made up his armor flared to life on his feet and slowly crawled up his legs and stopped at his waist, Esdeath leapt backwards and narrowed her eyes as she examined the dark, fiery leggings that Tatsumi now wore around his legs, the chains appearing and wrapping around them.

"Interesting….only from the waist down? And so different than before…something happened in that room, didn't it?!"

Examining his armored legs, Tatsumi grinned.

"Dunno. Why not come over here and find out?"

Gritting her teeth, Esdeath drew her rapier once more and spoke.

"You're dead!"

As she drew herself back to charge at him, she gasped as his form suddenly vanished before her very eyes! Barely having time to dodge as a massive explosion rang out from where she had been standing a mere second before, as the smoke and wisps of black fire cleared, she watched in anger as Tatsumi rose from the crater he had made, his armored leg buried in the dirt! Sighing, Tatsumi spoke.

"I missed. I'm not used to this speed…."

Summoning a few ice spears around her, Esdeath shot them at him and watched as Leapt forward and unleashed a powerful roundhouse kick, a massive BANG ringing out as the first ice spear shattered in midair! Esdeath grinned as she watched the second one hurtling towards his chest, however.

 _He can't kick that one! I've won!_

As if by magic, the dark fiery leggings seemed to morph and move around Tatsumi's skin, finally re-forming around one of his legs and his arm on the same side of his body just in time so he could shatter the second spear with a powerful punch! Shifting the liquid darkness back to his leggings, Tatsumi examined himself and nodded happily.

"Not bad, for not even a half-manifestation. By the way…is that all you got? You're boring me."

Esdeath clenched her fist as she spoke.

"I was holding back because I wanted to make this fun….but I guess I was wrong to do that."

Blinking once as Esdeath suddenly appeared behind him, Tatsumi grunted and barely had time to move out of the way as she slammed an ice pillar where he had been standing only a moment before!

 _I'm not used to fighting like this…..Attacking aggressively isn't my style…damn it!_

Cracking his knuckles, Tatsumi sighed and spoke as Esdeath paused and stared at him.

"Fine. Attacking like this isn't my forte….so let's get down to business, shall we?"

Letting out a powerful roar as a pitch black aura seemed to appear all around him, Esdeath was forced to step back as Tatsumi's powerful aura let loose a powerful blast, obliterating the ground around him as his entire body was enveloped in the same pitch black flames, the chains appearing after and wrapping all around his body as he grinned under his fiery helmet and spoke.

"Pluto unbound…like it? I can't hold this for long….so let's get to the part where I crush you."

As Esdeath roared in anger and summoned an ice block the size of a house, she laughed as she threw it at Tatsumi! As it hurtled towards him, Tatsumi only laughed as it approached him.

"Oh yeah….let's do this."

As the house sized ice chunk slammed into him and a plume of steam shot into the air, Esdeath looked on expectantly but gasped as she saw Tatsumi still standing where he had been, long wisps of black flames rising from his burning armor as he spoke, his voice taking on a bestial undertone as he did so.

"My turn. Try to survive."

Lumbering towards her as he summoned his fiery greatshields, the chains still wrapped around him, Esdeath leapt up into the air as he picked up speed, each step shaking the earth as he finally reached her, adjusting just enough so he came to a stop beneath her, pausing for a moment before throwing his greatshield sideways, a thin chain still attached to it as it suddenly vanished into a portal!

Her eyes widening, Esdeath had just realized what had happened before the shield slammed into her from above, appearing from the portal and slamming her into the ground with two tons on her back! Retrieving his shield, Tatsumi was about to make some sort of snide comment when he felt one of the chains on his armor snap!

 _Shit. It hasn't even been half a minute yet, and I'm already at my limit…damn it! I'm beginning to miss my old Pluto….._

Feeling his armor evaporate at his will before it got any worse, Tatsumi hacked up a clump of blood, wiping his mouth as his chains once more appeared around him.

"Urgh…."

Still on his knees as Esdeath shakily rose to her feet in front of him, a thin trail of blood trickling down her face as she spoke.

"Out of juice, are we? A shame…..you were actually putting up a decent fight."

Trying to rise to his feet as she walked over to him, Tatsumi grunted as she kicked him in the face and planted her foot on his throat, grinning coldly as she spoke once more.

"I win, as always. I'll enjoy breaking you!"

Tatsumi merely coughed as she slammed her foot into his face, sending him spiraling into unconsciousness….

 **A day later, Esdeath's dungeons**

Feelings his senses slowly returning to him, Tatsumi slowly blinked his eyes as they adjusted to the dimly lit dungeons. Realizing he was strung up by chains on the wall of the dungeon, Tatsumi tried to move only to feel his joints lock up in resistance, as if the very prospect of movement was foreign to his body! Glancing down at seeing all sorts of cuts and gashes carved into chest, Tatsumi wondered why he couldn't feel anything.

 _I don't feel a thing. Odd…those cuts and gashes look painful as hell, but…I feel nothing. And my joints aren't refusing to move because they're in pain, I think….it almost feels metal grating against metal! But I didn't think my joints were made of metal the last time I checked, though…._

Noticing his ring was gone that allowed him to control the chains without summoning his armor, Tatsumi sighed as he summoned just enough of his inky black armor on his hands to break free of the chains that held him, rubbing his wrists as he looked around.

 _From the looks of it, she tortured me pretty hard. But why can't I feel anything?_

As if hearing his thoughts, the voice of Pluto spoke up in his head.

 _Because of my blood running through your veins, boy. No mortal body was ever designed to handle the power of Two Teigu at once, and my power is changing your body in ways no one could have predicted….even I have no idea what's going on._

Rubbing his finger into a deep gash on his chest, Tatsumi frowned as he continued to push his finger deeper as blood poured out.

"I can't feel a damn thing! All my senses…they feel deadened, or something."

Pluto was heard to rumble in his head as the beast spoke to him.

 _Indeed. It seems that, though unintentionally, drinking my blood like you did to gain your power is changing your body to resemble my own when I was alive. I apologize for my earlier behavior, boy…..I am excited to be whole once more, but this…is not what I want._

Finally feeling his finger actually touch his bone, Tatsumi instinctively pulled it back out as he frowned even more and spoke.

"What's the damage so far? What's happening to my body, Pluto?"

Silence for a few seconds, then Tatsumi heard Pluto's voice in his head once more.

 _You no longer count as a human being, to be sure. Traces of the darkness that envelops your armor has seeped into your skin from repeated use, and has changed your nervous system and skeletal system somewhat. It seems the more you use my power, the more inhuman you'll become, boy. I doubt it'll ever become lethal at all since it seems to be changing your body more than harming it, but I can't say for sure you'll even resemble a human being once the transformation is complete. In the final stages, your outward appearance may even begin to change._

Cracking his knuckles and feeling nothing, Tatsumi sighed in frustration as he spoke.

"I suppose it could be worse. I'll try to refrain from using the armor unnecessarily, but…..I'll need its power in the future, I'm sure."

Pluto merely laughed in his head as it replied.

 _Such is the nature of your unique power, boy. You have taken on the great burden of wielding two the power of two Teigu at once…and now you must face the consequences. You will be powerful beyond imagination once you master this power, but you will be shunned by everyone, hated by everyone, and loved by no one. Your village may not ever welcome you back, you know._

Clenching his fist slowly, Tatsumi nodded.

"I know…but that doesn't matter if I can save them like I promised. I knew what I getting into when I drank that liquid, and if these are the downsides to using this power, then I'll sacrifice even my own humanity to use it. I've resolved myself to that a while ago."

Pluto replied in a solemn voice.

 _You've grown to be almost as stubborn as Arthur was….Hah. Fine then, boy….use my power without hesitation._

Not finding his ring anywhere in the dungeon he was in, Tatsumi made his way over to the door to leave and blasted it open with an armored punch, stepping out into the fancy hallway and glancing around,

"Nice place."

Continuing to walk along the fancy hallways, Tatsumi soon arrived in a large gathering hall where he saw a girl clothed in black and red munching on some snacks, a large katana beside her as she glanced at him. Looking him over slowly, the girl spoke.

"Who are you? I didn't hear about anyone like you joining this team."

Glancing around, Tatsumi shrugged.

"I dunno….I'm just trying to find a ring that woman took from me. Have you seen my ring? Y'know, normal sized, black with a red jewel…..no?"

The girl shrugged as she went back to eating her snacks.

"Nope."

Sighing and rubbing his head in confusion, Tatsumi spoke to himself as he turned to leave.

"Damn that Esdeath…locking me up and taking my ring."

Feeling something tickle his neck, Tatsumi tried to glance back but suddenly felt his head fall backwards! Hearing the girl's confused cries as she dug her katana out of his neck, Tatsumi found himself staring up at the ceiling as he spoke.

"Huh? What happened?"

Staring at Tatsumi as the same inky black darkness from his armor began to seep from his neck and connect to his dangling head, the girl in black and red looked genuinely confused as Tatsumi's neck stitched itself back together, the darkness billowing from his neck as his head slowly returned to normal!

"What….are you?"

Turning around and rubbing his head, Tatsumi shrugged.

"Honestly…I'm not too sure anymore. This armor I have, you see…."

His entire body suddenly enveloped in the same fiery darkness as he summoned his armor, the chains appearing and wrapping around his body as the thick armor came into existence. His helmet billow black flames as he glanced around, Tatsumi continued.

"It's not normal."

Wincing as he felt the armor melding into his body once more as he used it, Tatsumi slowly stepped towards the girl as she readied her katana, his armor billowing in an invisible wind as the door opened behind him and Esdeath walked into the room! Turning around and seeing her holding his ring in her hand, Tatsumi held out his armored hand and spoke.

"Give me that. I'm not going to ask again."

Esdeath merely scoffed as she spoke, moving her hand to her rapier as she did so.

"Oh, really? That worked out really well last time, when I beat you, hmm?"

Tatsumi merely grunted as he lowered his hand.

"That's it. I asked nicely. Now you die."

Summoning his shields as he lumbered towards her, Esdeath tried to move for the door to get to more open space for her fight in when Tatsumi blocked her escape, laughing menacingly as he advanced towards her. Right as he got within striking range of her, she spoke with a voice that practically dripped confidence.

"If you fight me now, your village will die."

Stopping abruptly, Tatsumi seemed taken aback as he spoke slowly and deliberately.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?"

Smiling coldly, Esdeath merely spoke a few words.

"You talk when you're unconscious."

Slamming his fist into the nearby wall as a spiral of darkness spun outwards from the point of impact, Tatsumi cursed loudly.

"DAMN IT!"

Extending her hand with the ring, Esdeath grinned as she spoke.

"Oh, but don't worry…..just agree to serve me, and your village will be perfectly safe."

Staring his armored head at the ring as he heard the door open behind him, he slammed his fist into the wall once more as he spoke, rage filling his voice.

"DAMN! Why…there's no way you know where my village is, even If I did mention it when I was knocked out!"

Esdeath merely shook her head as she replied.

"I know enough. You mentioned it being cold, so that narrows it down somewhat. My minions are good trackers, so they'll find it eventually."

Deep down, Tatsumi knew it was only a matter of time before she found it.

"I could just kill you before you can give that order, you know."

As the room's temperature suddenly dropped several degrees, Esdeath spoke coldly.

"You think you can beat me? Besides…I told them to kill them automatically if they don't hear from me every so often. So…..what'll it be?"

Pausing for a long while, Tatsumi snatched the ring out of her hand and let his armor fade away as he slipped the ring back onto his finger and wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth, chains dancing around him as he turned to leave.

"You haven't won. I'm not going to rest until I tear out your insides for threatening my village."

Slamming the door behind him, Esdeath smoothed his uniform as she turned to the six or so people who had gathered in the room.

"Well, my Jaegars…it looks like we have a new teammate. Do be nice to him."

 **Well, that ends Chapter five! Wow, that was long! Just to be clear, don't think of Tatsumi's new armor as being on fire or something…..just think of it looking like how it used to, but with pure darkness covering it and rolling off of it. Think of it like an ink grenade from Gears of war, or something. It might look like fire since it curls and moves around on his armor as he walks, but fire was the only way I could think to describe it. Anyway, this chapter took a turn in a way I didn't really expect when I was writing it! With his new Teigu actually threatening to turn him into something far from human more and more each time he uses it, what'll happen to Tatsumi? And now that Esdeath managed to threaten him into serving her, what will he do next? Find out, on the next episode of DRAGON BALL Z! Haha, just kidding. Anyway, thanks for reading, and keep those likes, favorites, and reviews coming! I love each one! (Side note: I'd appreciate it if someone would volunteer to be a proofreader or something, I've caught some grammar errors after I post things. Not too important, just a thought)**


	6. Chapter 6: The Infection

**Chapter Six: The Infection**

Leaning back in the wooden chair he had found in the lounge room in the Jaegar's HQ, Tatsumi examined his bare chest as moonlight streamed in the windows and frowned as he spoke.

"This isn't good…."

Turning to look in the mirror, Tatsumi frowned as he saw his reflection in the mirror. Merely from using his armor once more, his once brown hair had been half dyed inky black and stood on end, half of his chest covered in dark black blotchy spots, as if someone had thrown ink on his chest and the ink had spread. Running his finger over those black spots on his chest, he sighed as he spoke once more.

"If this spreads anymore, it'll be visible on my face…"

Noticing his left eye was still pitch black with no pupil visible at all, Pluto's voice spoke up in his head as he blinked a few times.

 _It's only getting worse inside too, boy. Any more, and-_

Tatsumi cut Pluto off with a sharp reply, however.

"I know! Believe me, Pluto…I know. My senses are so deadened I can't even feel anything, it's like my nerves completely froze over or something! Arrrgh, I can't even feel pain anymore….you know how annoying it is to bite your tongue and not even know it?"

Putting his hands on the back of his head and closing his eyes, he thought about all that he had done so far and sighed as he mumbled to himself.

"Hope Bro's doing okay…If I could leave, I would…..damn that woman."

Falling silent as he was absorbed in his own thoughts, it wasn't until a voice was heard from the door he opened his eyes slightly.

"Oh boy, that doesn't look very stylish at all!"

Turning his head slightly, he cracked his eye and saw a man standing in the door in a lab coat.

"Who're you? Another of that woman's cronies?"

The man smiled softly as he sat down beside Tatsumi, his lab coat fluttering slightly as he did so.

"I suppose so, but then again aren't you?"

Tatsumi made a sour face and turned his head to the window as he stared at the moon.

"Che. Like I wanted to be."

Again, the man smiled softly before staring at the deep black splotches on Tatsumi's chest, reaching his hand out slightly before drawing it back in and speaking.

"Those wounds….they look strange. Are you in pain, boy? I might be able to fix you up, if you are…."

Pausing for a moment to examine this man as he fiddled with his lab coat, Tatsumi let out an exasperated sigh as he replied.

"I doubt there's anything you can do about this, Doc….it's my Teigu that's doing it, so…."

The man's eyes widened for a moment before he nodded slowly and spoke in a soft tone.

"Oh…I see. I doubt even my Teigu could fix that."

Tatsumi merely grunted as he shut his eyes once more, leaning his head back as he did so.

"Hmph. If something like that could fix _my_ problems, I might not be in this mess…..Is that all you wanted?"

Tatsumi heard the man chuckle softly before getting up and dusting his coat off before moving to the door, pausing as he reached it to speak.

"I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Doctor Stylish, by the way. Since everyone else was curious about what kind of man you were to stand up to Esdeath-sama but was too scared to approach you, I figured I'd see you for myself…anyway, bye bye!"

Tatsumi merely sighed as he heard Stylish leave the room.

"Scared…? That's just stupid. I'm not that terrifying, right….?"

He suddenly yelped as he heard a woman's voice from directly behind him, soft and quiet, yet deadly.

"Of course you are, moron."

Bending his head back and seeing the girl in red and black standing behind him, cutely munching on snacks, he sighed as he closed his eyes again and spoke.

"Oh? Then why are you here if I'm so terrifying?"

Only the sound of her munching on snacks could be heard for a while before she spoke again, her voice still soft.

"Just 'cause."

After waiting for her to continue for a while before realizing she wasn't going to, he couldn't help but grin despite himself as he spoke.

"Geez….don't talk much, do ya?"

The girl seemed to shake her head slowly as she munched on her snacks again.

"Nope."

As five minutes passed by in complete silence with no sign of her moving at all, Tatsumi finally sighed as he sat up and turned around, seeing her staring at him with that same dead expression. Rubbing his forehead in exasperation, he sighed and spoke.

"Look, was there a purpose you're standing behind me? Gonna cut my head off again?"

She actually seemed to grin softly for a split second before shaking her head again.

"Nope. Just felt like standing here."

Tatsumi only put his palm to his face as he thought to himself.

 _Geez…she reminds me of Akame. Just as silent and weird, to be sure….not to mention, she's always eating…._

Tatsumi suddenly held out his hand as he spoke once more.

"Then, mind if I have one of those snacks?"

Suddenly pulling her bag of snacks close to her chest, she narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

"Nope. My snacks."

Sitting back in his chair and leaning it back on its legs, he felt his head brush against her shirt as he put his hands on the back of his head. Cracking his eye, he saw her standing right above him, still munching on her snacks as she stared down at him as she spoke.

"I was standing here."

Closing his eyes and not moving, Tatsumi spoke as he grinned smartly.

"Oh, sorry. I mistook you for a potted plant, standing there for so long."

As Silence descended on the two of them for a few more minutes, he felt her grab his face, forcing his mouth open as he felt her shove one of her snacks into his mouth before moving to the door. Sputtering and coughing as he turned, he saw her staring at him out of the corner of her eye before leaving without a word. Finally swallowing, Tatsumi spoke to himself.

"Huh. Not bad…."

Shaking his head to clear it, he slapped his cheeks as he stood up and slipped his jacket onto his chest.

"Focus, Tatsumi! She may look adorable and cute, but she tried to cut your head off! No, she DID cut your head off! Focus, man…"

Finishing buttoning the last button on his white jacket, he smoothed his now half inky black and half brown hair down and composed himself as he mumbled.

"I've had enough of this….i'm going to bed. Bunch of weirdos, I swear…."

Leaving the general break room and walking through the hallways with his hands in his pockets, he passed by a room that gave off an ice-cold aura and shivered as he did so.

 _I can guess who's in there. Just keep walking…._

But sadly, Tatsumi was apparently super unlucky as the door to Esdeath's room swung open as she glanced around and spotted him, grabbing him by the collar and hauling him into her room. Landing on the cold floor with a bump, he rubbed his rear as he turned to her and spoke angrily.

"You crazy ice woman! What's the big…idea?"

Seeing her cold stare, he was quickly silenced as she began to speak.

"I'll have none of your talking, Tatsumi. As it happens, the last two of my beasts just died today since some man with a spear finished them off on a mission, I'm sending you and some of my Jaegars to kill a politician on a boat."

Tatsumi had to resist smiling as he thought to himself.

 _Nice work, Bro._

Yelping as she lifted him up by the collar and tossed him into her bed, he frantically tried to make a break for the door but was stopped as she froze him to the bed, grinning maliciously as she spoke.

"Oh no, you won't be running away. Since you insist on refusing to obey my orders, even under my threats…..I guess I need to make you understand who's in charge around here."

Yelping once more as she tossed him back onto the cold floor, he glanced up as her cold glare seemed to pierce his skin as she spoke.

"Now, strip naked!"

Tatsumi's incredulous facial expression only served to fuel her rage as she slammed her boot into his chest and spoke again.

"Now!"

Doing as he was told with some reluctance, the moment he finished he felt ice rise from the floor and force him to kneel as his arms were frozen to the ground! Kneeling there naked on the cold floor, ice binding his arms, he sighed and spoke.

"What the hell is this?"

Crossing her arms and grinning, Esdeath spoke.

"Maybe a night in such a humiliating position will make you understand just who is in charge around here…Like I told you, I WILL break you, Tatsumi. I always get what I want in the end."

Narrowing his eyes, Tatsumi's aura began to glow inky black as he spoke, his voice full of malice.

"I'll break out of these ice cuffs and rip your damn throat out while you sleep, woman! LET ME OUT!"

Summoning his armor and yelling in anger as he tried to break the icy bonds that kept his hands bound to the floor, he grunted and struggled to break them only to hear Esdeath chuckle as she made her way to the bathroom only to emerge seconds later in a nightgown as she spoke.

"By all means, try. Struggle all you want, by the end of the night you'll understand who commands you around here! Oh, and do try to keep the noise to a minimum, please."

Screaming in anger with veins almost ready to burst from his forehead, Tatsumi could only watched as Esdeath took his ring and laid down in bed, freezing his mouth shut as she did so.

"None of that. Now, good night!"

Hearing her fall asleep seconds later, Tatsumi continued to struggle and rage against the icy bonds for hours until Pluto's voice in his head brought him back to his senses.

 _Snap out of it, boy! Wearing that armor for so long is only making your condition worse!_

Sighing as he dispelled his armor and glanced around the room, he saw himself in the mirror and felt his heart drop once more as he thought to himself.

 _Damn it! I got careless again, and now I look even more like a monster!_

His hair now completely black, the black spots that were covering his chest had spread inky black veins up his neck and on to his face, the black spiderweb pattern lines decorating his face as he sighed.

 _Damn. I can't even feel how cold this is…..though, that may be a good thing._

Seeing his right eye beginning to turn black, he turned back to staring at the floor as he examined his own chest.

 _I don't even look human anymore…._

As he lay motionless for a few more hours, Pluto's voice came into his head just after sunrise.

 _Boy….you won't like this. I don't know how, but…..all of your nerves are gone, replaced by that black stuff. It's like darkness just swallowed your nerves….!_

Glancing down at his hands, Tatsumi figured Pluto was telling the truth since he couldn't even feel how cold his icy cuffs must be. Making no effort to respond, he could only wait for a few more hours until Esdeath would wake up….

 **A few hours later, the main Jaeger meeting room**

His feet up on the table, Tatsumi had his eyes closed and was generally ignoring everything else that was going on around him when he felt someone nudge his right side. Opening his right eye and glancing towards his right to see who had nudged him, he saw a man wearing a blue jacket staring at him as the man spoke.

"Shouldn't you put your feet down? I'm sure Esdeath'll be here any minute, and I don't think you wanna piss her off, you know…."

Closing his eye again, Tatsumi merely grunted and spoke.

"Che. Like I care what she thinks! She can come over here and make me."

As everyone glanced at each other upon hearing Tatsumi's brazen Statement, the man beside Tatsumi coughed loudly. Opening his eye again, Tatsumi glanced around the table to see every staring above him, and he sighed in exasperation as he spoke.

"She's…..behind me, isn't she?"

Seeing everyone nod really slowly, Tatsumi slowly leaned his head back and saw Esdeath standing behind him with his arms crossed, a cold grin on her face as she spoke.

"Hoh….still feeling rebellious, are we?"

Not even batting an eyelash, Tatsumi just let out another exasperated sigh before once again closing his eyes.

"Like you could break my spirit, you devil woman. My Teigu is my spirit, and my Teigu is unbreakable…..so try me."

As the others at the table gave each other a look that clearly said ' _Who is this guy?',_ Esdeath merely chuckled menacingly as she replied.

"So you say, but if my memory serves me correctly I trounced you in the courtyard, hmm?"

Opening his eyes slightly once more, Tatsumi spoke.

"Only because I couldn't sustain my Teigu for very long, being new and all. And if _I_ remember correctly, you were bleeding pretty bad yourself before I was done with you…"

To the other Jaegars surprise, Esdeath gritted her teeth as she spoke.

"You have some degree of strength, perhaps. But compared to me, you are-"

As a great cacophony of noise and sound suddenly rang out through the room, everyone's eyes went wide as dinner plates as Esdeath had her sword at Tatsumi's neck, a pair of chains coming out of the floor and wrapping around the blade just inches from his throat! Sheathing her sword, Esdeath spoke in a slightly angry tone.

"Impudent worm."

Tatsumi actually grinned as he closed his eyes again!

"Whatever. Was there a point to calling us all here, or did you just want everyone else to see you harass me?"

Dropping the subject with visible difficulty, Esdeath cleared her throat as she made her way to the front of the table and addressed everyone.

"I suppose. Anyway, the minister has a mission for us to kill a politician that is conspiring against him. I was going to send my beasts out on this one, but since they all went and _died_...I'll need to send three of you, my Jaegars. Before I start assigning roles, does anyone care to volunteer to go fight night raid?"

Glancing at each other, the man in the blue jacket raised his hand, followed by a non-descript man at the end of the table. Glancing at the two men, Esdeath crossed her arms and nodded.

"Good. Then Wave and Run shall be going…..now for one more…."

Glancing around the table as everyone slowly followed her gaze to the motionless Tatsumi, she slammed her fist on the table to get him to open his eyes and spoke to him.

"And you, Tatsumi."

Letting out a long groan, he spoke.

"Ugh…..what a pain."

Pausing for a moment to still her shaking hand, Esdeath spoke once more.

"I suggest you fix your tone, Boy…or do you want your village destroyed?"

His eyes shooting open, Tatsumi spat on the ground angrily, but seemed to accept her command as he sat up and nodded stiffly.

"Whatever. Fine."

Nodding as if she had said all she needed to, Esdeath spoke once more as she made her way to the door.

"Good, Good…oh, and the ship leaves tomorrow morning, so perhaps get acquainted with each other before the mission?"

As she left, Tatsumi slammed his fist onto the table angrily as he got up and began pacing around the room, inky blackness seeping from the table after he had done so.

"Damn it! I swear, one of these days I'll kill her! I'll kill her!"

As she silently munched on snacks, Kurome actually spoke!

"Tatsumi, was it…? Calm down…"

As Tatsumi glanced over at her, just when everyone else was sure he'd attack her he sighed loudly and seemed to relax!

"Yeah, whatever….fine."

Finishing one of her snacks, Kurome spoke once more, this time to everyone.

"Why don't you three have a fight….? Good way for you guys to get to know each other."

As all three of them seemed to glance at each other, Tatsumi and Wave grinned as they nodded.

"Yeah! Let's do that!"

As everyone made their way to a small fighting area in the Jaegar HQ, Wave and Tatsumi entered the fighting area first. Readying a sword that reminded Tatsumi of Bro's incursio key, Wave seemed to crack his neck as he spoke.

"I haven't' trained against another Teigu user before…..should be fun, right Tatsumi?"

Scratching his head, Tatsumi grinned wildly and nodded.

"Yeah, I think so."

As Wave activated his Teigu and was suddenly encased in armor that looked a lot like Incursio, he spoke.

"Like it? My Grand chariot is just that awesome!"

Watching from the side lines, Bols, Stylish, Kurome and Seiryuu were watching as Bols turned to Stylish and spoke in his normal, timid voice.

"Stylish….why are those black patterns all over Tatsumi-kun's body?"

Stylish scratched his chin softly as he thought for a moment then spoke.

"I think it's a side-effect of his Teigu. His aura….it's tainted black as night."

Finally speaking for the first time since she had arrived, Seiryuu spoke.

"I can see it….doesn't look like the aura of a do-gooder, if you ask me."

Stylish waved his hand dismissively as Tatsumi cracked his neck.

"Well, let's watch and see just how strong this young man is, to oppose our general like he did…"

Back in the fighting area, Tatsumi grinned as he spoke.

"Okay, here I go…"

As if responding to his command, inky blackness began to spread from his chest all over his body, semi-solidifying into the recognizable form of heavy plate armor with blackness rolling off of it as Tatsumi spoke under his pitch-black helmet as chains wrapped around the armor.

"Now then…let's do this."

Summoning two massive, black-iron greatshields that also had darkness rolling off them with chains bound around them, Tatsumi and wave rushed into close combat, visible shockwaves rolling off the points of impact as Wave's spear slammed into Tatsumi's shields. Nodding to himself from the sidelines, Stylish spoke to one in particular.

"He is quite… _proficient_ ….with those massive things, isn't he? Such a strange fighting style…."

As if appearing by magic, Esdeath spoke beside him!

"You have no idea, Stylish. Those accursed shields of his are nothing to be scoffed at-"

Interrupted by a super loud BANG from the direction of the fight, they once more turned their attention to the fight as Tatsumi dug his shield out of the ground, grinning under his helmet as he spoke.

"Not bad...Wave, was it?"

Stabbing towards Tatsumi with his spear once more, Wave grinned back and nodded.

"Thanks….and yeah, Wave's the name."

Perfectly parrying the strike with his massive shields, Tatsumi let out a bellowing roar as he slammed his shields into the ground once more, blackness exploding outward from the strike point and slamming into Wave's armor, pushing him back a few feet. As a small cracked formed in his armor, Wave frowned under his helmet as Tatsumi dug his shields out of the ground once more, seeming surprised.

"Huh. That's never happened before…."

Still staring at his shields in amazement, Tatsumi grunted as Wave caught him full in the chestplate with a lunging kick, not only making him grunt but actually pushing him back a few feet! Shaking off his amazement, he glanced up to see wave hopping around in pain, cursing left and right.

"Damn it…ouch! What the hell's that armor made of, anyway? OUCH!"

Flinching so minutely only Esdeath saw it, Tatsumi suddenly spoke.

"Haha, yeah…let's cut it here, okay? I think this is good."

Still holding his foot, Wave nodded and spoke absentmindedly as he continued to swear left and right.

"SHIT! Yeah, that's fine. My foot might be broken, even in my armor, man!"

As Wave hobbled out of the room, Run stepped forward as if to fight him but Tatsumi raised his hand and spoke as he made a beeline for the exit.

"Gimme a…..minute, okay?"

Nodding slowly, Run and everyone else watched in confusion as Tatsumi left the room in hurry. After he had left, Esdeath sighed as she made her way to the exit as well as she spoke.

"Everyone stay here, he'll be back soon. You need to see how he fights….in case he ever turns on us."

 **In the bathroom of Jaegar HQ**

As Tatsumi coughed up blood into the sink, he glanced in the mirror and saw both of his eyes had gone completely black, what had been a mere spiderweb pattern of the strange blackness on his face now completely covering the left half of his head in a wall of darkness, with veins running across the other side!

"Fuck…it's getting worse…"

Looking at his blood that was a mix of red and black liquid, he suppressed the urge to vomit once more as Pluto spoke in his head.

 _Your condition is worsening, boy. You nerves are now fully dormant, your blood system is about half infected, and you skeletal system seems to be the only thing unaffected. Other than your brain, of course. But then, this isn't life threatening….just changing you._

Whacking the side of his head, Tatsumi sighed angrily.

"I know that. I can't feel anything anymore, anyway…..all my senses but sight and sound have died. Taste, Touch, smell…all gone. Honestly, I'm waiting for my vision and hearing to go too."

Pluto only remained silent for moment before speaking.

 _Strangely, the darkness is avoiding those senses completely. It looks like it's trying to keep you intact as much as possible, actually. I think it knows what areas to avoid, somehow._

Sighing once more, Tatsumi scratched his head.

"What could be causing this? You sure it isn't you?"

Strangely, Pluto made an odd, rumbling noise before it spoke.

 _I may have an idea….But it's only a hunch._

Waiting in anticipation, Tatsumi listened as Pluto continued.

 _There's another presence in here, other than me. I'm just contained within your bloodstream in that liquid you drank that joined with your blood, but this…..it's different. It enters your body more and more each time you use that armor. It's not hostile, just…..Ah, I can't describe it._

As if on cue, Tatsumi heard a sound that could only be akin to Static in his head! Shaking his head as If that would clear the static, he felt a chill race up his spine as another voice spoke in his head….one that wasn't Pluto.

… _.ain…pain…so…..uch…..pa…n….Pl…..to?_

As if responding to the voice, Pluto spoke.

 _Wait, Thanatos? How the hell….Oh. Oh…..this makes sense now._

His eyes incredulous, Tatsumi slapped his own forehead as he spoke.

"Damn it Pluto, speak sense! Thanatos? What's going on?"

Pluto took a while to respond.

 _You remember how that Teigu Svarthad told you that originally this armor, namely, me…..came from a danger beast that had_ two _cores? Like he said, I was only half of the danger beast that was killed….but there wasn't just two cores, there were two complete danger beasts joined together! And that means there were two entire personalities in that beast…..I was only one of them. As to the other, that would be dear Thanatos, my other half….my half-brother, if you will. Whenever I was made whole again, I didn't detect Thanatos' presence inside of you, so I assumed his personality had been rendered inert after eons in that shameful state…but it seems I was wrong. All this time, he was attached to your armor, boy! HE'S the blackness spreading throughout your system now! It looks like it's hard to speak for him and he seems to be in quite a lot of pain since he's in such a poor state, but…he somehow survived. I think he's just trying to get a feel for this new body he's in, so don't worry. I'll keep trying to contact him. This won't change anything about your appearance, so don't get your hopes up. The more you use the armor, the more of Thanatos will be let into your system….until you achieve full synchronicity with him, it'll only get worse._

Scratching his head and finally letting out a confused sigh after while Tatsumi turned around just as he heard someone enter the bathroom only to grunt in pain as the black veins that had spread across his face began to pulse and extend! When it was finally over and the veins had grown a bit more across the right half of his face since the left half was plagued with black blotches all over, he heard Esdeath clear her throat and speak from the door, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Ah…I see why you've been so strange after using your armor. It seems as though that Teigu of yours is infecting you, mm? How unfortunate…."

Rubbing his head, Tatsumi narrowed his eyes and grunted.

"Yeah, yeah….a real shame….right. Like you'd give a shit what happened to the guy whose village you threatened. Hah….don't make me laugh."

Stepping a little too close for comfort, Esdeath crossed her arms and grinned coldly as she spoke.

"You are a valuable soldier of mine for the moment, boy…..if you could only perhaps drop that insufferable attitude of yours, you might even be one of my favorite out of this group."

As she inched so close their faces almost touched, Tatsumi's facial expression never even changed until he actually stepped into her guard and glared at her with hatred in his eyes!

"Oh, spare me. You think I give a _shit_ what any of you meatheads think of me? No. I'm here because of you and your damned threats to the people I care about….nothing more, trust me. When the day comes and I'm holding your spine in my hands above your corpse….don't think I'll shed a tear. If you want me to feel _honored_ that an ice-wielding psycho woman may or may not have feelings of vague affection towards me, maybe try not to threaten everything he cares about? Just a hint. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be going. If you ever feel the need to put me in my place, you know where I am."

Stepping aside as he barged past her and back towards the fighting area, instead of showing any signs of anger Esdeath actually grinned as she spoke to herself!

"How interesting…to think, he would stand up to me like that…interesting! Such an interesting boy…..so full of willpower. Oh, I can barely wait to see his face when I break him…."

Chuckling as if she had made a joke to herself, Esdeath only made her way back to the training room to observe the fight between Tatsumi and Run…..

 **Back in the training room**

As Tatsumi cracked his neck and made his way to the center of the room, he saw Run glance at him and smile softly, his golden hair blowing slightly in a breeze as he spoke.

"I'm afraid after seeing that I won't be much of a challenge to an armored foe such as yourself….I specialize in more ranged attacks, than anything."

Hands in his pockets, Tatsumi glanced at run before speaking emotionlessly.

"Fine. I'll fight without my armor."

As Chains appeared around him, dancing as if to some invisible tune only they could hear, Run's eyes widened slightly as he bowed gracefully and spoke, smiling warmly.

"I appreciate it. Shall we?"

As a gorgeous pair of wings spread from his back and he flew into the sky, Tatsumi actually grinned as three back to back shockwaves echoed throughout the room as three razor sharp feathers seemed to deflect off Tatsumi's chains! Seeing blood fly as a medium sized cut appeared on Tatsumi's shoulder, he actually smiled wider as he spoke!

"Great, great! Maybe this time I'll feel excited….are you strong enough, Run?"

Grinning as he shot more feathers at Tatsumi, Run spoke.

"I can only hope."

As Tatsumi's chains began to move so fast they became a blur, a practical avalanche of feathers poured from Run's wings, a small amount of scratches and cuts steadily appearing on Tatsumi's face as they fought! Leaping high into the air using his chains, Tatsumi lashed out with a kick only to be swiped aside by Run's wings, landing gracefully on the ground as two more feather embedded themselves in Tatsumi's kneecaps, he buckled to the ground as Run spoke happily above him.

"You are impressive indeed to keep up with my feathers like that with mere chains, Tatsumi…..but sadly, those chains are too big! I can simply shoot my feathers through the holes between the links, I'm afraid. Bravo so far, though."

Glancing briefly at his knees as black mist poured from his wounds alongside a small pool of blood, Tatsumi grinned mildly as he rose to his feet with some effort, his kneecaps wobbly as the wounds to them hindered him.

"Hah…..you're good. I guess if I could still feel pain these would hurt somewhat, but…I can only guess. In any case, I see no point to fighting like this anymore, do you? I think we've got a good feel for each other."

Slowly floating to the ground, Run glanced at Tatsumi then Wave and nodded as he straightened his white jacket as he made his way back over to the wall where everyone else was.

"Yes…..I agree. If Esdeath doesn't see the need for us to train any more, I'd say we're good."

Making her way to the exit, Esdeath nodded and waved her hand absentmindedly as she spoke over her shoulder.

"Yes, yes….we're done here. You three may do as you wish until the boat leaves tomorrow."

As everyone began to file out the exit, Tatsumi remained motionless in the middle of the room until he figured everyone had left, raising his eyebrow when he saw Kurome still standing on the side of the room, munching on her snacks as she leaned on her sword!

Glancing towards her, Tatsumi spoke in a tone that was a tiny bit curious as he thought to himself.

 _Why does she always seem so interested in me?_

Rubbing his head as she made her way over to him without a single emotion on her face, she glanced at him as she stood in front of him, speaking between eating snacks.

"Feel like training?"

Raising his eyebrow Tatsumi spoke with a curious tone.

"Why is it that you seem so interested in me, huh? It seems like everyone else just kind of ignore me unless they can help it. Except Stylish, I guess….but I think that guy's mind is one giant pile of _weird._ "

As she went silent for a minute, Tatsumi wondered if he had said something to piss her off he heard snickering coming from her! Looking sly, he spoke once more.

"Wow, the stone faced Kurome actually laughed….you okay? Maybe not get enough to eat today?"

Finally seeming to compose herself as she munched on her snacks again, she spoke once more.

"Everyone avoids you because you weird them out, standing up to Esdeath like that. As for me…"

Taking another snack from her bag and munching on it, she spoke once again with her same expressionless face.

"I don't care about that stuff so much…..You seem interesting, anyway."

Raising an eyebrow once more, Tatsumi actually seemed interested as he replied.

"Is that so…? Ha. As to training…you sayin' you wanna fight with me?"

Drawing her sword, she nodded slightly.

"Uh-huh. You seem like you could be fun to play with, so I wanna test you out for myself. Can you do anything besides wear that armor and use those chains? It won't be any fun if all you do is stay still and let me hit you, you know….and those chains can't stand up to me."

As if responding to her question, his legs suddenly became shrouded in his inky black armor, the darkness rolling off of his legs as chains wrapped around them. Grinning, he spoke.

"Of course…was there ever any doubt?"

Nodding with the same expressionless face as always, Tatsumi yelped as she suddenly vanished, his reactions barely allowing him to dart away at full speed as he saw her slash the air where he had been a second before! Sidestepping her attacks closer and closer each time she struck, he grinned as he spoke.

"You don't seem to be holding back…you trying to kill me?"

She made no response, only redoubled her attack as he was forced to equip his gauntlets to block her strikes! Finally stopping dodging, his fists began to fly faster and faster as he continuously deflected her strikes with his armored fists, her sword cutting him once or twice as he continued to match her speed.

"If you were fighting my sister, you'd be dead by now."

Thinking that was definitely something he should think about, he tabled that thought for later as he continued to match her speed, his fists flying so fast to deflect her lightning-quick strikes they began to generate illusions in their wake so it looked like dozens of his fists were blocking her strikes!

"Good, but can you keep up with some more?"

Grunting as her speed suddenly doubled, he saw her sword dig into his arms multiple times as he desperately tried to match her, to no avail. Finally seeing her sword stop a mere millimeter from his throat, he scratched his head as he spoke.

"Hey, now…let's calm down."

Effortlessly sheathing her sword, she went back to munching her snacks as she spoke.

"You're fast…..but not as well as me."

Laughing, Tatsumi nodded.

"Yea, well….cut a guy a break, wouldja? I don't specialize in speed, you know! I'm the type of guy to just take more of a beating than the other guy and outlast them!"

Tapping his gauntlets with her sheath, she nodded and spoke.

"Simple."

Grinning with just the smallest of traces of his old, naïve smile he had a few weeks ago, he spoke.

"What can I say….I'm a simple guy."

There was barely a hint of amusement on her face as she merely munched on her snacks once more, making her way to the door as she replied.

"I guess so. See you around."

Watching her leave, Tatsumi turned to the one window in the room and thought to himself.

 _How…..odd._

 **A few hours later, Tatsumi's room**

Sitting in his chair that was in his room as he stared out his window at the moon outside, Tatsumi was lost in his thoughts.

 _I said I didn't care about any of these people, but why do I keep thinking of that one girl…Kurome, right? Argh, so frustrating…..But none of the others seem bad either, honestly. Run seems really nice, Bols seems like the nicest out of us, somehow…Wave's the most…..normal, Stylish is just one big human-shaped pile of weird, Kurome's…something, and Seiryuu seems nice enough. Haven't got enough interaction with her, though. For some reason, she gives off a sort of 'Crazy Person' vibe. Huh. As to Esdeath…why does she seem so interested in me? Am I just that handsome?_

A brief image of himself surrounded by various women popped into Tatsumi's head, a hint of his past youthful self, and he grinned like a kid for a while before waving his hand as if to dispel the image and sighing.

 _Yeah, right. If anything, I feel like she sees me as just someone interesting to be conquered, maybe a unique toy. But hey, she definitely gives off that 'Sadist' vibe…am I into that kind of thing?_

Briefly picturing a very mature scene in his head, a small line of red blood trickled out of Tatsumi's nose as he grinned.

 _Hmmm…maybe. Guess I don't really know if I'm a masochist or not….never had the occasion to test if I am or not, though…but that's probably a good thing. And it's really not like I could just walk up to her and say 'Hey, I'm feeling curious about whether I'm a masochist or not, could you act like you always do towards me and see if I get hard?_

Pausing for a moment, Tatsumi shook his head.

 _Nah, too weird. The sad thing is, I'm sure she would do it. Don't really think she's the romantic type, though. Guess I could be wrong. Anyway, I-_

Jolted from his thoughts upon hearing a loud knock at his door, he sighed loudly on purpose as he spoke on his way over to the door.

"If that's you, Ice woman….."

Swinging the door open to see Kurome standing there munching casually on snacks, staring at him with that same dead expression that reminded him of Akame, he scratched his head and spoke.

"Kurome…? Why're you here?"

She glanced at him and spoke.

"Couldn't sleep. Figured I'd bug you."

Seeing her staring at something below his stomach, he frowned and was about to ask if he was her personal sleep aid when he felt a draft pass through an area where he knew there should never be a breeze! Glancing down just as he remembered he had been naked because he had been preparing for a shower when he had gotten lost in thought, he let out possibly the most non-manliest noise In history as he slammed the door! Slipping into some clothes as quick as a fart In a skillet, he opened the door once more and was scratching his cheek as he spoke.

"You saw nothing."

True to how she always was, she stared at his crotch for a second longer and glanced back up at him and speaking in that same monotone voice as always.

"….I certainly saw something."

His face flushing red, Tatsumi spoke in a more serious tone than before as he leaned close to her.

"Speak. Of. This. To. No. One!"

Letting out an exasperated moan, Tatsumi spoke again.

"So, did you need to speak with me about something important?"

Stunning himself into silence, Kurome let out an actual giggle as she turned to leave, her sword dangling in her hand as she spoke.

"Nooothing~. Just bored, that's all…..Catcha' around..."

Slamming the door as she entered her room, Tatsumi sighed as he looked out the window and thought to himself once more.

 _What an odd girl. No….i'd say everyone here's odd in some way….even Wave. Dude brought in a sack of fish on the first meeting…that's not normal._

Despite his owns words to Esdeath insisting he didn't care for anyone on the Jaegars, Tatsumi found himself grinning like an idiot as he thought about his new teammates and ones not so new.

 _Don't worry though, Bro…I'll get out of here soon enough, and then I'll meet up with you again._

 **And there's chapter six! Honestly, this chapter was really fun to write. The way I write I honestly have no idea what's going to happen other than like, maybe ONE thing I establish beforehand, so since I kinda just go with the flow I surprised myself. Anyway, someone asked me about romance a while back, and honestly I did plan on putting it in here, but I really have no idea how, or who's with who! I know, I'm hopeless. I swear, I write so fluidly it just turns out as** _ **something**_ **when I'm done, so the way things are going now I guess Tatsumi's either going with Esdeath or Kurome, of all people. Guess we'll wait and see. Anyway, thanks for reading and please keep the reviews coming, even if it's just 'Cool story'! I appreciate every one of them! I'll be sure to keep writing more, so stay tuned!**


	7. Chapter 7: The Angel of Death

**Chapter Seven: The Angel of Death**

"You forget who I am, bro? This Teigu chose me for a reason…and I'm going to prove I'm worthy of wielding Pluto unbound, the deathless chains of purgatory!"

As Bulat watched Tatsumi grin once more, giving him the thumbs up as he walked towards the door, Bulat was forced to follow Svarthad as it led them to the back door of the room.

As the group approached a door that looked smaller and less bedecked in valuable gems, Svarthad paused for a moment and seemed to be staring at something on the other side of the walls as he spoke.

"Hrmmm…..it seems two men didn't leave whenever young Tatsumi left to distract them…they're still there. But they don't look like normal soldiers…."

Budo spat to the side with the emperor still sitting on his shoulder as he spoke.

"Not like we can't take them….right, my massive-haired acquaintance?"

Rolling his eyes in Budo's direction, Bulat waved his hand as he replied.

"One, don't call me that again. Two, don't insult my hair. Three…"

As Incursio wrapped around him, Bulat spoke under his helmet.

"Of course we can take them!"

Grinning as Svarthad swung the door open silently, Budo, Bulat and the emperor stepped out into the courtyard as Svarthad whispered from behind them.

"It was a pleasure talking to all of you….do visit again! It was a welcome change of pace from the boredom that has plagued my existence for the past 1000 years of solitude."

Swinging the door shut after he said that, Budo set the emperor down behind the nearby pillar as the two men stepped out into the courtyard to face their enemies. Once he had stepped out into the open and saw the two people who were standing before him, Bulat scowled intensely as the man across from him looked surprised and spoke with elegance.

"Ah, Bulat…my old friend."

Glancing at Bulat beside him then back at the man who was talking, Budo seemed to understand the two had history as Bulat spoke.

"Liver…so you joined Esdeath?"

The man Bro had called Liver nodded gracefully and spoke once again.

"Yes….Esdeath-Sama was kind enough to save me from that hell of a fate I had been condemned to. On that note….Bulat, my friend…..would you care to join us? We have an open spot, and I'm sure Esdeath-sama would let you join if I vouched for you! Not to mention, we would be almost unstoppable if we joined forces, old boy!"

Bro didn't even hesitated as he replied, his voice full of menace as he summoned incursio and swung his spear in large, circular arcs as he spoke.

"I'm afraid not. If we had met under any circumstances…..I'd probably have offered to have a drink together, you know. But I'm afraid…."

Swinging his spear with a powerful thrust that shook the air itself, Bro pointed his spear at Liver as he continued.

"….that I need to kill you."

Liver only grinned as he rubbed the ring on his finger and the water around him quivered, speaking as he did so.

"Hah…..I knew you'd say that, you stubborn bastard. I shall kill you then, in the name of Esdeath-sama….with the Teigu she gave me, BLACK MARLIN!"

As Bulat engaged Liver as he summoned massive water spears to attack him from a few directions, Budo glanced at the young boy before him and grunted as he cracked his knuckles as he let his gargantuan shoulder pauldrons fall to the ground with a loud WHUMP! As he spoke.

"Are you to be my opponent then, boy? Does this man beside you take me so lightly?"

The little boy smiled dementedly as he played a little number on his flute that he had in his hand, getting as big as Budo was before his very eyes!

"No, It's not that…..Liver just wants to deal with that one himself, I guess…I dunno. I figured since I'm fighting the Great General Budo himself, I'd better go full power right off the bat, right? I can't wait to add your face to my collection!"

Upon hearing this now-massive boy's demented words, Budo spat to his side as lightning danced across his knuckles and his armor, the very air around him crackling with power as he cracked his neck and spoke.

"Hah! It seems Esdeath still loves keeping _damaged goods_ for pets, eh? No matter….I've always enjoyed taking out the trash!"

As Budo and the boy lunged at each other and their fists met, a massive shockwave rippled outwards from the point of impact, lightning meeting the boy's demonic might as the boy seemed to grimace in pain, blood trickling from his fist as Budo spoke as they leapt backwards.

"Stronger than I expected…..for a mongrel such as yourself."

As the two once more met in combat, Bulat and Liver were still going strong as Bulat continued to slice though Liver's water spears like butter. Deflecting a particularly powerful attack with his spear, Bulat waited for the water to clear from his field of view just long enough to see Liver leap onto a water serpent he summoned beside him as he floated up into the sky! Grinning under his helmet, Bro spoke as he leapt into the air after his old general.

"Oh no you don't! You won't get away that easily…..!"

As he sliced through Liver's serpent and managed to slice from Liver's shoulder to his hip in midair, Liver summoned a multi-headed hydra and laughed loudly as he spoke, blood trickling from his chest from the massive gash Bro had left as he did so.

"You fell for it! You may be able to deflect my attacks easily on the ground…but you're helpless in the air!"

Grunting as the multi-headed water hydra slammed full force into him despite his spear being in the way, Bulat was shot into the ground with a massive BANG!, creating a crater as Liver landed loudly and hacked up blood, his eyes drifting off as he spoke shakily.

"Damn….not fatal….if we….were on the ocean…perhaps it would have done more damage."

As Bulat coughed and rose from the crater, his armor ripped and torn in various places as blood seeped from those wounds, he grinned as he spoke and pointed his spear at Liver.

"Nice try. It hurts like hell…but I'll live. Unlike you!"

Leaping forward so fast Liver's dulled reflexes couldn't keep up, Bulat delivered a fatal blow as he thrust his spear straight through Liver's chest! Leaping back just as Liver hacked up a massive clump of blood, Bulat was about to let Incursio vanish when Liver laughed and spoke as he injected a vial into his blood.

"Ha…..you've improved. No matter….witness my trump card…BLOOD BLADE DECAPITATION!"

As Blood shot towards Bulat and was about hit him before he could register what was going on, he felt something slam into him from the right as he was catapulted like a ragdoll across the courtyard and into a far pillar! Groaning as he scratched his head and opened his eyes once more, his eyes went wide as he saw the young boy who had been standing beside Liver's head in his lap! Glancing across the courtyard at Budo as he got up and tossed the head aside, Bro spoke as he saw the boy's headless body.

"That hurt, you big ape! What was that for?"

Budo merely frowned as he replied in a gruff tone and inspected his armor.

"That vial he injected was full of poison. I can only assume he planned to poison you too with that blood of his…I probably saved your life."

Gritting his teeth as he sensed the truth behind Budo's words, Bulat looked at Liver, now dead on the ground with look of anger on his face and sighed as he spoke again.

"That idiot…..oh well. Nice work with the kid."

Grunting as he picked the emperor up from behind the pillar and set him on his massive shoulder once more, Budo replied gruffly.

"Like that runt was even a challenge for me…..bah. In any case, are you okay, highness?"

Dusting himself off, the little emperor nodded slowly as he glanced down at Liver and Nyau's corpses and spoke.

"Y-yes. They certainly had General Esdeath's type of soldier written all over them…..didn't they?"

Pausing for a moment as he seemed to be trying to compose himself, the emperor continued as he glanced at Bulat and spoke slowly.

"You there, spearman…..I seek your opinion on matters which you undoubtedly have an opinion on."

Bulat crossed his arms and nodded as he replied.

"Shoot, I guess."

Nodding, the emperor coughed and spoke once more.

"Good. Tell me, then…is my empire truly as prosperous as the minister tells me? He always tells me my decisions are correct, and always right, but….I find myself needing another opinion. After all, Papa always told me to always ask the commoners of their opinions….he said such people would always tell it to me straight."

Bulat looked surprised for a second, but composed himself quickly and spoke with a face as serious as death itself.

"To put it seriously, your highness….it's about to fall apart. Corruption runs rampant throughout the empire, and the strong build their power upon the corpses of the good and the weak."

The emperor only nodded as if he had finally confirmed something he had been suspecting for a while as he spoke.

"Hrm….I thought this to be the case, but the minister always seem to disagree…."

Before Bulat could speak again, Budo spoke as he glanced towards the front of the palace, where the sounds of battle were echoing loudly.

"Hrm….it seems Tatsumi has engaged Esdeath in the front courtyard. Your majesty, we should make our escape with all due hast-"

Before he could finish, the emperor interrupted him.

"General Budo…..is this spearman right? Is my empire really in such a dire state?"

Rubbing his grizzled chin as his electric yellow hair danced in the breeze, Budo spoke after thinking for a bit.

"I-…I'm….afraid so, yes. I myself was getting rather sick of the current state of the empire, myself. If I may be so bold, your highness…..the minister needs to die. He is like a parasite that has infested our great empire, and is working his sinister deeds on you."

The emperor scratched his tiny head as he looked troubled by this, tears brimming in his tiny little eyes as he spoke again In a trembling voice.

"It seems….I am not quite….versed…..in the ways of being an emperor. If only father were still alive…."

Budo nodded sadly as he replied.

"Yes…..you were forced upon the throne at such a young age, this is true. But please worry not, your highness! Me and this man before you shall ensure you become the best ruler you can possibly be!"

Upon hearing those words, the emperor dried his eyes as he replied in a quiet voice.

"Really? I thank you, General Budo. Oh, and you too, spearman. In any case…..if we need to leave, I believe I know of a place where we would be safe."

Budo and Bulat seemed to perk up as the emperor continued.

"I've never been there, but Papa told me long ago that the first emperor wanted a place for his future children to relax without fear of death, so he built a secret hideaway far to the south of the capital where we of the emperor's bloodline and our confidants could be at peace. I don't remember where he told me it was…but I do remember him saying something about it being embedded in the face of something called 'King's rock'.

Seeming to know of what the emperor was talking about, Bulat snapped his fingers as he spoke.

"I know that place! I went to a huge cliff down south in my army days on a mission once, and as we all sat around the campfire Liver told us it used to be called 'King's Rock' back in the time of the previous emperors!"

Budo nodded happily at hearing this as he began to head for the south gate as he spoke.

"Good. Then we must leave with all due haste, because the sounds of battle have vanished from the front courtyard…..whether this means young Tatsumi has died or has emerged victorious, or perhaps met a crueler fate….I am not sure. But we must leave, now."

As he begun to follow Budo, Bulat glanced back at the palace as he thought to himself.

 _Please still be alive, Tatsumi…..I promise, I'll come back to get you, someday soon. Please….stay alive until then._

And with that, Budo, Bulat, and the Emperor begun their journey to the emperor's secret hideaway….

 **Night raid HQ, present day**

As all the remaining members of night raid were gathered around the main hall, Najenda made her into the room and took her seat as she began to speak, her arms crossed.

"Now, I know we've lost two members recently….but we have another job, straight from base. This time, we need to protect a politician from the empire's assassins on a boat that will be leaving the harbor in a day or so's time. I would have sent Bulat on this one, since he can go invisible, but….I guess Leone, Akame and Lubbock will need to do. Any objections?"

As everyone glanced at each other and no one seemed to have anything to say, Najenda slammed her right fist into her left palm and seemed to force a grin as she spoke once more.

"Great! I'll head to main HQ then, and hopefully they'll have some people to spare to replace who we've lost…in the meantime, I wish you all the bes-"

Just as she was in the middle of her speech, everyone froze immediately as a loud knock came from the front door! Immediately looking around at each other to verify everyone was all present, Najenda spoke in a hushed tone as everyone slowly crept over to the door.

"Who the hell is that?"

Lubbock looked worried as he replied.

"Whoever they are, they got past my detection net flawlessly!"

Leone transformed using her Teigu and was about to bash the door down when a Jovial voice was heard from the other side of the door.

"Uhhh, hellooo? We're not here to fight or anything, we just wanted-"

From the other side of the door, another, more dismal sounding voice spoke up to finish the sentence of the other person.

"-to talk."

As everyone stopped for a second, Najenda spoke up.

"Now why the hell would we believe you?"

From the other side of the door, the dismal voice seemed to address the first man with the Jovial one.

"Brother…"

Again, the Jovial voice spoke up from the other side of the door.

"Now hold on, older brother! Let's talk this out, o-"

Again, the dismal voice finished the first man's sentence.

"-Okay."

Hearing a sigh from the other side of the door, everyone in Night raid cocked their heads as the jovial voice spoke up.

"Pay my older brother here no mind, please! We've come all the way from the eastern empire many countries away to talk to you people, so don't you think letting us in is just good manners?"

Strangely, it was Akame who spoke up in their defense.

"I don't sense any malice from them."

Sighing in resignation, Najenda swung the door open and let the two men who were standing outside in. As everyone watched these two strangers enter the main hall and dust themselves off, they all marveled at the strange garb these two men were wearing. The Jovial-sounding one was wearing a strange, monk-like robe that exposed his right shoulder and upper right chest, in addition to a large straw hat that was much bigger than his entire head, a large wooden stick in his right hand and his left hand formed into what seemed to be a religious hand sign as he smiled happily and spoke, his bald head gleaming under his straw hat.

"I thank you, strangers! Now, I take it-"

Again, the man beside him spoke. As opposed to whom he referred to as his younger brother, the man beside the man dressed in a monk's outfit seemed much drearier than his brother. His outfit was barely recognizable as remnants of what had once been the same outfit as his brother, but had since been reduced to filthy rags that hung off his body in tatters, covering only his lower half, with mere strips of cloth covering his slightly built upper chest, the only part of him that looked well off the bright golden wrist-bracelets he wore, bright green gemstones in them. His hair was wild and frantic as if he had just woken up, and his eyes seemed almost dead as he finished his brother's sentence, his eyes seeming to drift lazily all around the room.

"-you are all Night Raid?"

Hesitating to answer, Najenda took a moment to compose herself before cautiously replying.

"Perhaps. What if we are?"

The Jovial man's eyes gleamed with excitement as he replied.

"Then I would ask if you were looking for two brothers to join your ranks! Ah, but we haven't introduced ourselves! How foolish of me, yes. In any case, I am known in our country as Alexei, and my older brother here-"

From beside him, Alexei's older brother spoke to finish his younger brother's sentence.

"-is known as Jakov. Pronounced _Ya-kov._ "

Bowing slightly, Jakov showed no emotion as Alexei spoke once more, glancing at Jakov as he did so.

"Still insistent on making people pronounce it right, are you, brother?"

Seeming to realize he was off topic, Alexei shook his head and turned back to Najenda and continued.

"Ah, but I digress. Would you be willing to have us as new recruits?"

Najenda was of course, suspicious of these two men who wanted to join her team, but she wasn't stupid enough to immediately send away two men who had somehow gotten to their _front door_ without tripping any of Lubbock's strings. Rubbing her chin, she turned to Akame and spoke.

"Akame….give me your impression of them."

Glancing at the two men with that same monotone expression of hers, she seemed to think for a moment before glancing back at Najenda.

"I-I don't know. I can't read the scruffy one at all, but the monk seems strong."

Before Najenda could speak once more, Leone tried to step closer to Jakov and spoke to him, her eyes narrow. But before she could even reach him, the group watched with wonder as the air distorted around her and she suddenly re-appeared behind Jakov, looking dazed and confused! As everyone instantly readied for a fight, Jakov shifted uncomfortably as Alexei held up his hands hurriedly.

"Oh no, please forgive him, he can't help it! You see, my dear older brother has been blessed by our great god above with a power unlike any other…..but he claims it is more of a curse than a power. In any case, please refrain from trying to make any sort of movements towards my dear older brother, because you will never reach him…..so please-"

Again, Jakov finished Alexei's sentence.

"-direct all questions to Alexei."

Shaking her head, Leone muttered under her breath as she turned to Alexei.

"Weird….I could have sworn I got to him…..Anyway, what do you mean, gift from god?"

Looking dejected, Jakov rubbed his golden bracelets as Alexei sighed and spoke as he glanced at Jakov's wrists.

"The bracelets of his have the power of god contained inside of them….their official name that's been passed down through our family is " _Wanderlust, curse of the labyrinth",_ I believe. They make it so-"

Yet again, Jakov finished Alexei's sentence. Najenda sighed as she began to see a pattern.

"-so anything or anyone who tries to reach me for any reason gets lost, and unable to reach me. But…I can't find anything I try to find, either….I lead a cursed life."

Smiling sadly, Alexei nodded as he continued.

"Poor Jakov here can never be reached by anything or anyone, I'm afraid. So when this woman with the yellow hair tried to reach him to ask him a question, she became lost. Even poor mother could never reach Jakov here to hug him, or even give him a quick peck on the cheek before we left…I'm afraid Jakov has never physically touched another life form or objects for most of his life."

Glaring at Jakov's golden bracelets, Akame narrowed her eyes as she spoke, surprise creeping into her voice!

"Th-Those bracelets…I feel Teigu energy coming from them…!"

As everyone turned to Jakov and looked surprised, both Alexei and Jakov furrowed their eyebrows in confusion as Alexei spoke.

"No no, I'm quite sure those bracelets radiate god's blessing. Perhaps this faithless empire doesn't remember his greatness, but we do."

Deciding to drop it, Najenda turned to Alexei and spoke.

"And what about you? That power of your brothers doesn't seem too useful to us, you know…."

Alexei grinned as he spoke.

"Oh, that's because both of our powers only truly shine when we work as a team, of course! And since my brother can never find anything he wants to or ever be reached by anyone…."

Alexei expertly whipped out a cast-iron box that was tied around his neck, opening it to reveal a compass that seemed to spin around wildly as he held it!

"This is the power our beloved god has bestowed upon me, passed down our family through generations….." _Invenio, Finder of the lost!"_ This lovely little compass allows me to find anything I want to find, no matter where it may be, or how far away it could be….among other things. Trust me, if we put our minds to it, I'm sure we would prove more than a match for anyone!"

Grinning, Leone slammed her fists together as she turned to Najenda and spoke.

"Ohh, let me at 'em, boss! Let me take them down, after saying that!"

Najenda crossed her arms and seemed to think for a moment before she replied with a smiling face.

"Interesting…I like it! It'll let us assess your strength, and if you two are strong enough to join us!"

The two brothers seemed to grin as everyone led them to a small courtyard outside the main building where Leone moved out to the middle of and transformed, cracking her knuckles as Najenda spoke from the corner of the courtyard.

"If you two can beat Leone here, I'll let you join. If not, you're too weak to be of use to us."

Alexei and Jakov grinned as Alexei bowed gracefully.

"Ah….thank you, sincerely! We shall only be a minute!"

Leone laughed as she stretched her arms, her ample chest bouncing up and down and seeming to attract Lubbock's eyes as she spoke.

"Big talk! Now…Let's see if you can follow it through with action!"

As she dashed forward towards Alexei with all her speed, everyone gasped as a loud BAM rang out over the courtyard and kicked a ton of dust in the air! When the dust cleared, everyone gasped again as they saw Alexei had stopped Leone's animal fist with one palm, his right hand still holding his wooden stick as he clicked his tongue sadly.

"So fast you are, yes. But you rely on your strength too much, I believe!"

Effortlessly swinging her fist aside, his arm suddenly moved so fast it left afterimages in the air as it seemed to teleport and re-appear in the same strange hand sign he held it in as Leone suddenly coughed up flecks of blood! As everyone looked on with amazement, Akame turned to Najenda and spoke.

"He's fast….I could barely follow his movements…what did he do…?"

Najenda frowned as she replied.

"I….don't know."

Leaping backward, Leone cracked her neck and coughed up blood once again as she spoke, annoyance seeping into her voice as she did so.

"Hah…you're not bad!"

Alexei sighed sadly as he spoke, as if he was a teacher who was miffed their student hadn't learned their lesson.

"It seems you have some amazing regenerative powers, to not fall into unconsciousness from my blows! It seems the rumors of this empire's warriors who wield _Teigu_ are not exaggerated! I suppose I should take this fight seriously, after all…."

Leaping up into the air and landing behind her, Leone turned to face Alexei as he smiled amicably and spoke.

"Do try not to die."

His hand leaving afterimages once more, it took Leone until it was too late to realize he had thrown daggers at her he had gotten from his robes! Trying to dodge, Leone let out pained grunts as the daggers dug into her kneecaps and stomach, her skin steaming as Alexei spoke once more.

"Those daggers are blessed by god himself, so that regeneration of yours should have a harder time with them, I think."

As a dozen more daggers flashed through the air towards her, Leone managed to dodge most of them as she lunged at Alexei, finally getting in range to exchange bullet punches with him, each strike rattling the ground as Alexei spoke happily mid-block.

"Very good! You are learning, yes! However…..I'm afraid this is checkmate!"

As Alexei suddenly began to glow brightly, Najenda and Akame turned as they saw Jakov, who had not moved an inch the entire fight, also begin to glow! Realizing Jakov was glowing behind her, Leone tried to intercept him but was stopped by Alexei, who moved so fast he moved in front of her once more and blocked her advance as he spoke.

"No, no! You…..you still aren't worth of fighting my older brother, I'm afraid…..he's much stronger than me, after all! NOW, brother!"

Turning to Najenda, Akame spoke incredulously.

"Boss…..I just felt their energies….swap!"

Her eyes going wide, Najenda put her hand over her mouth as she thought to herself.

 _They can swap their powers….at will?_

Before everyone's eyes, Jakov grinned, showing emotion for the first time since they had seen him as he spoke, his voice happy yet menacing.

"Weak."

A sonic boom rolling over the courtyard and knocking Mine over, everyone watched incredulously as Jakov made his move, his body moving so fast he seemed to teleport from one place to another as he seemed to appear right behind Leone so fast no one even could follow his movements, his hand on the back of her neck! A full second passed before Leone's eyes suddenly rolled back in her head and she coughed up saliva and collapsed to the ground! Looking on, stunned, Najenda watched as Alexei and Jakov turned to her and bowed slightly as Alexei spoke up.

"I trust you understand our worth now?"

Najenda took a while to compose herself before she spoke with confidence.

"Yeah…..I suppose that you're good enough, if you can beat Leone like that. Welcome to night raid!"

But in her head, Najenda was still amazed as she thought to herself.

 _So fast..! Their strength….it's truly wondrous!_

As Leone got to her feet shakily and laughed it off as everyone rushed over to greet Night Raid's newest members, Najenda found herself frowning as she glanced off in the direction of the capital.

 _I hope main HQ has people to send us….I still don't trust these two…._

 **Jaegar HQ**

Blinking his eyes as he felt himself waking up, Tatsumi rubbed his eyes sleepily as he swung his feet out of bed and rose to his feet, glancing around his room for a moment before shuffling his way over to the mirror in his bathroom. Looking at his still-horrific face, Tatsumi rubbed the crust out of his eyes that had formed while he was asleep and sleepily addressed Pluto.

"I don't suppose there's been any change in Thanatos….?"

Pluto seemed to think for a moment before speaking as Tatsumi slipped his arms inside of his favorite white jacket.

 _It's strange, boy….he's continue to solidify the parts of him that have leaked into you overnight, and he's coalesced at the base of your brain steam into a small black ball. I doubt he's trying to hurt you, he just seems to be confused at the moment….but that's not what's attracting my attention. Ever since the middle of the night last night, since that black ball that seems to make up about 75% of Thanatos formed at the base of your brain stem I've sensed my power waning…..as if it was being drained, and channeled elsewhere. Honestly, boy…..I'm not sure if I could manage a full manifestation now. It seems like Thanatos's power is almost completely absorbed from the armor into your system, and I think the next time you use my power he'll be complete….for better or worse…_

As if testing his power, Tatsumi tried to summon his armor in the mirror but looked surprised when the inky black darkness only managed to cover half of his body before it stopped and solidified as is! Rubbing his hair in frustration, Tatsumi dispelled his armor and glanced at his fist as he opened and closed it.

"Dammit…..I can't fight like this! Just when I got an upgrade…my power goes and seems to be changing again!"

Pluto's voice once again sounded in Tatsumi's head.

 _Calm down, boy. I'm not sure if my power is going away, or if Thanatos is just using it to bring himself fully back into existence. At any rate, it seems that when you tried to summon the armor just now the last bits of Thanatos slipped into your system….so he's complete now. Honestly, I'm not even sure if I could manifest the old armor, before it was upgraded, boy…..I think the upgrade I got made it impossible to summon the old armor again. In any case, you're not going to be able to fight until Thanatos reforms himself…..sorry._

Clenching his fists angrily, Tatsumi paused just before his door and mumbled to Pluto.

"Can I still summon my chains?"

Pluto seemed to think for a moment before speaking.

 _I think so, since that ring you wear is what lets you do that, not me._

As if on cue, Tatsumi's ring glowed as rings appeared all around him like normal and began to dance around according to his will, a soft grin spreading across his face as he spoke.

"At least I can fight with these, I guess. In any case, I'd better not let anyone know that-"

As he swung open his door and was finishing his sentence, he paused as he saw Kurome standing before him, munching her snacks as she spoke melodramatically.

"Let anyone know that….what?"

Sighing angrily, Tatsumi scratched his head before walking past her.

"Nothing."

Kurome seemed to ponder this for a moment before speaking again.

"Well…..it doesn't matter, I guess. Hey, Tatsumi…."

Pausing for a second, Tatsumi turned around and glanced back at Kurome as she continued, fidgeting her hands as she did so.

"…Come back safe, I guess."

His eyebrow going up, Tatsumi grinned as he spoke to her as she tried to walk away.

"Oh? Was that…concern, hmm?"

Kurome swatted his hand away as she continued to walk away.

"Nope. Just figured I'd say it since no one else was going to."

Smiling, Tatsumi watched her walk away and called out to her as he was almost out of sight, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he did so.

"Whenever I get back, I'm gonna see that smile of yours for myself! I KNOW IT EXISTS!"

As he turned away after he said that and began to head for the exit so he could meet up with Run and Wave, Kurome paused for a moment and almost smiled as she whispered so quiet only she could hear.

" _Idiot."_

 **The Imperial Docks, An hour later**

As Tatsumi stood beside Wave and Run and looked up at the massive ship before them, it was Wave who nodded in appreciation and spoke.

"Nice ship."

As they made their way on board and decided to split up to better facilitate their mission, Tatsumi sighed as he stood on the top deck, fiddling with his glass of wine that he had gotten from a passing by waiter.

 _Why'd I get stuck on lookout duty? So damn boring. Oh well…..at least I shouldn't have to fight anyone up here...hopefully._

Shifting the focus of his thoughts, Tatsumi mumbled under his breath as he leaned up against the railing of the ship.

"Pluto, how's it going?"

Stangely, Pluto's voice seemed garbled and distorted, as if it was coming from very far away!

 _Ta…..sumi! My…..wer,…aken by…anatos!...Losin…ontrol…._

Unable to make sense of any of the mess of jumbled words that just got sent into his head, Tatusmi sighed and fiddled with his ring as he frowned and thought to himself.

 _Pluto had better be okay…..I need his power to survive if someone comes knocking._

As if on cue, Tatsumi returned from Reality to see all the guests that had been around him passed out on the deck of the ship, with only three people standing before him! Glancing around him and noticing his chains had wrapped around wires that had tried to wrap around his neck, Tatsumi instantly stood up and narrowed his eyes as a young man in green spoke to him.

"Tatsumi…?"

Frowning, Tatsumi spoke with hatred in his voice.

"Night raid! Come to guard that politican, eh?"

As Wave and Run came bolting up the stair and onto the top deck, they instantly saw Night raid and summoned their Teigu as Lubbock continued.

"Yep. Sorry, but I guess we're gonna be trying to kill each other again."

Bracing himself as he tried to summon his Teigu once more, Tatsumi cursed internally as he found he couldn't even find Pluto's presence anywhere inside of his body!

 _Fuck me, what's going on inside of my body?_

His chains quivering as if responding to something inside of his own body, Tatsumi listened as Leone stepped forward and spoke, her eyes narrowed as she grinned.

"I got Tatsumi here. I'm the only one who can lift that heavy armor of his, so I think I'm the only one who can take him…"

As Lubbock and Akame nodded, the three assassins all leapt at their respective targets….the fight had begun! Barely leaping out of the way as Leone's fist lunged past his head, Tatsumi wrapped his chains around Leone's arms in order to stop a follow up punch that would have shattered his skull just in time to see Leone grin as she spoke.

"Not bad, Tatsumi! Let's see how long you can last without equipping that armor of yours!"

Outwardly, Tatsumi flashed a humorless smile, but inwardly he was becoming increasingly worried at the state of his body!

 _Fuck…I can feel something worming around just under my skin…is that Thanatos? Has Thanatos re-formed? If so, where's Pluto?_

Leaping sideways again as Leone lunged past him, Tatsumi felt his body somehow resisting his commands, his legs locking up as Leone charged at him! Laughing, Leone spoke as she continued to charge at him.

"You'd better equip that armor of yours, Tatsumi…..or else I'm going to pulp you!"

 _FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK WHY WON'T MY BODY MOVE?! SHIT!_

Struggling to move his non-responsive limbs, Tatsumi braced himself for the inevitable as Leone's fist came closer to and closer to him.

As a loud BANG sounded throughout the deck of the ship, everyone on both sides of the fight stopped at glanced over where Leone and Tatsumi had been fighting to see what had made that noise. Whenever Run and Wave saw what had happened, they both gasped as Run spoke.

"No! Tatsumi!"

Sure enough, Leone's fist was sticking through Tatsumi's stomach, a clean hole punch through his chest as she dug her fist out his body and looked own at his body and frowned.

"You idiot…..should've equipped your armor. Oh we-what?!"

 _Tatsumi was dead…..but somehow, he still felt like he was alive, like he was still somehow somewhere in between death, and life. As he floated through an endless black void, he heard a voice he didn't recognize speak from all around him._

" _I AM FREE. FINALLY, I HAVE BEEN RELEASED!"_

 _His dead eyes fluttering a bit, Tatsumi barely managed to speak._

" _Who-?"_

 _The booming voice spoke a reply._

" _I AM THE ONE KNOWN AS THANATOS, YOUNG TATSUMI…IT SEEMS MY OLD FRIEND PLUTO HELD YOU IN SOME SORT OF REGARD. FOR EONS I HAVE SLEPT, CONFINED TO A SMALL ROCK WITH NOTHNG BUT MY OWN THOUGHTS FOR COMFORT….AND NOW, ON THE BRINK OF MY REGENERATION, THE ONE I AM INHABITATING GOES AN GETS HIMSELF KILLED. HOW CARELESS OF YOU!"_

 _Tatsumi's face contorted slightly as he replied softly._

" _You….stole…..my power. Stopped….my movement."_

 _The voice paused for a moment before continuing._

" _HMPH. I HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT YOU SPEAK, FOOLISH HUMAN. IN ANY CASE, YOUR BODY IS DYING AS WE SPEAK, AND SINCE I AM NOT AS KIND TO YOUR KIND AS MY OTHER HALF, PLUTO, IS…..I WILL OFFER YOU ONE TIME AND ONE TIME ONLY TO SAVE YOUR OWN LIFE."_

 _Tatsumi spoke once more as he continued to float along in the darkness._

" _Go…ahead."_

 _As if it knew what Tatsumi was going to say, Thanatos continued._

" _GIVE CONTROL OF YOUR BODY TO ME. I FIND MYSELF POSSESSING AN ABUNDANCE OF POWER I LACKED IN LIFE, WHEN I WAS STUCK PLUTO, AND I NEED TO FIND OUT IF I CAN POSSESS A UNIQUE POWER OF MY OWN. IF YOU LET ME TAKE OVER YOUR BODY, MY S-CLASS DANGER BEAST PHYSIOLOGY WILL TAKE OVER AND SAVE YOUR LIFE…..BUT ONLY IF I AM IN CONTROL. WHAT SAY YOU?"_

 _Tatsumi thought for a moment before replying._

" _Will…..I…..ever….be in control…..again?"_

 _Thanatos spoke not long after._

" _PERHAPS."_

 _Tatsumi coughed as he spoke again._

" _Is….Pluto…safe?"_

 _Thanatos scoffed as it spoke, disdain in its voice._

" _OF COURSE. I MERELY BORROWED HIS POWER TO REGAIN MY OWN….HE SHALL REGENERATE IN TIME. NOW BOY, YOUR ANSWER."_

 _Tatsumi spoke after a painful look crossed his face._

" _Fine. Save my body…..but, are you….saying you're a separate Teigu than pluto….?"_

 _Thantos laughed loudly as Tatsumi felt himself returning to life, but falling into unconsciousness._

" _IT SEEMS SO, BOY…REJOICE, FOR YOU WIELD THE POWER OF TWO TEIGU IN YOUR BODY!"_

 _And With that, Tatsumi felt himself fall into unconsciousness as Thanatos began to take over Tatsumi's body._

Back in reality on the deck of the ship, everyone watched as black mist billowed from the hole in Tatsumi's chest, the sky itself darkening as a bone chilling voice rippled over the ship.

"At last….I am free!"

As they watched, Tatsumi's body floated into the air, his entire body morphing and changing as huge, black wings sprouted from his back as his flesh began to turn grey, a skeleton visible under his translucent flesh as a thick, black cloak appeared over his body, a skull mask covering his face as a hood covered his head! As two bright red lights appeared in the eye sockets of the skull mask, a huge black scythe appeared in Tatsumi's hands as he floated back down onto the deck of the ship, a different voice echoing from his mask as he spoke.

"Now, if that boy was right…..some of you people are my allies. Who are you?"

As Wave and Run hesitantly raised their hands, Tatsumi seemed to nod as he twirled his giant scythe.

"Good, Good…After so long being cooped up, powerless…..finally, I am free! And I finally have power!"

Leone back away unsteadily as she spoke.

"You….aren't Tatsumi! Who are you?!"

As the skull mask that was covering Tatsumi's face suddenly turned to glare at Leone, the voice under it chuckled and spoke.

"Oh, but I AM Tatsumi! If it weren't for this boy here….I would never have become whole again! And for that, I am eternally thankful. In any case, you may address me as _Thanatos._ If you want to be proper and refer to me by my whole title, call me _Thanatos, March of the damned._ You like it? I came up with it myself, you know."

As black mist began to billow from Thanatos' cloak and his scythe seemed to fully take form, Leone spoke again.

" _Thanatos, March of the damned…_? Wha…..? You look like some kind of Angel, with those wings on your back!"

Thanatos flapped his wings once as he chuckled.

"I am no angel, girl! I am nothing less than an Angel of _Death_!"

This time, Akame seemed to explain to Leone.

"He's a Teigu…..I can feel that energy from here."

As Thanatos' huge black wings flapped themselves a few times, Thanatos spoke.

"Correct! But please don't mistake for that runt's _other_ Teigu, Pluto…such poor taste, if you ask me, manifesting as such bulky armor. Like I always say, how can one truly win a battle if you don't _look the part?_ "

As Thanatos Raised his scythe and tried to swing it down at Leone's neck, Akame suddenly bolted forward and blocked his attack, swiping his scythe aside and jamming her sword through his chest in one deft motion! Glancing down at the wound in his dead, translucent flesh, Thanatos chuckled as Akame looked on, confused.

"Wondering why you're sword isn't working on me, dear….? It's simple, really…..you can't poison a dead person!"

As everyone's eyes went wide, Thanatos continued.

"Surprised, are we? Well, I may have been able to save Tatsumi's _mind_ and close the hole in his chest with my power, but….his body somehow got suspended between life and death. I guess if anything, the boy is more of a zombie than anything else! After all, Pluto told him the more he used his power, the less human he would become! HAHAHA!"

Slapping Akame aside with the flat of his scythe, Thanatos chuckled as he readied his scythe once more, his voice deadly serious as he spoke again.

"Now…I think I'll take all of your heads."

 **Aaaaaaannnnnd….it's done! This has been quite the struggle for me, guys…..my computer crashed twice while I was writing this, both times the second I had finished the chapter! So basically, I wrote this chapter three entire times. Yea, not fun. In any case, I love writing it! We got some time to see what Bulat and the team was up to after Tatsumi was captured, we got to see Night raid get some new recruits(I loved making their powers, by the way), and we got to see the finale of Tatsumi's transformation into something far, far from humanity! Oh, and if you're trying to think of that Thanatos looks like, just think of Death's reaper form in Darksiders two….something like that. Next chapter, we'll get to see Thanatos take on Leone, Akame, and Lubbock, so stay tuned! And will Tatsumi's now-dead body be able to handle the power of two fully realized Teigu at once, or will it break apart? And one last thing, don't think of Tatsumi's body as some shambling corpse now, Thanatos basically stopped time on it, so it's never going to bleed or feel pain and stuff like that, but it'll still look like he normally does. Just didn't want you guys to think he was some creepy zombie with a rotting body or something.**


	8. Chapter 8: The Reaper Cometh

**Chapter Eight: The Reaper Cometh**

As Thanatos twirled his scythe in Tatsumi's translucent hands, black mist rolling off of it as he did so, the skull mask he wore turned to Lubbock of all people as everyone heard Thanatos mumble something under his breath. However, only Run was close enough to hear it.

"Using too much power to keep this body together…..damn it…"

As if to snap everyone out of their stupor, Run's needle arrows slashed out at Lubbock as the two once more engaged in combat, the sounds of fresh combat once more shaking everyone back to life as Leone leapt at Thanatos, grinning as she did so. Effortlessly swiping her aside with his scythe, Thanatos barely even seemed annoyed as he fixed his gaze once more on Lubbock and spoke.

"Need to prioritize here….."

Ignoring Leone completely, Thanatos's misty form flew across the deck of the ship as his wings flapped furiously to get him there! Turning just in time to see Thanatos hurtling towards him, Lubbock's surprised face was clear as Thanatos swung his scythe directly as Lubbock's neck, only to hit his chest as Lubbock tried to leap up to escape. Grunting as he was tossed straight into the wall of the captain's cabin, Lubbock rubbed his head and glanced down at his torn string armor before speaking to himself as he stood up.

"Can't take another hit like that….."

As Akame and Leone cleared realized Thanatos was the big threat here, they both shifted their gaze from their respective enemies to him and charged straight at him, Akame and Leone splitting up to try and flank him as they did so. His scythe doing figure eights as he was forced onto the defensive, his pained voice was heard from under his voice as he roared in anger.

"RUARRRGH! Pesky humans, quit bugging me!"

As his movements continued to keep up with Leone and Akame's attacks, Run and Wave took the opportunity to move in from behind and attempt to take the two women from behind, only to find Lubbock's strings waiting for them! Wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth as he took a shaky step forward, Lubbock pulled Cross Tail tight as he spoke.

"Sorry, guys…..I can't let you interfere with them…"

Grunting in annoyance, Wave tried to tear through the string with Grand Chariot only be repelled as he turned to stare at Thanatos, his helmet motionless as he suddenly spoke, his voice full of menace.

"There's no way…..that I'm going to leave my comrade over there like that! Run, you go ahead and go support Tatsumi-Err, Thanatos. Whatever. I'll deal with this green little shit who thinks his strings are a match for my grand chariot! I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU MESS WITH ME!"

As Wave bellowed a beastly roar and charged at Lubbock with almost superhuman speed, Lubbock let loose a curse as barely used his strings to dodge Wave's spear lunge! As the two engaged in fierce combat, Run chuckled slightly as he glanced down at Wave.

"Always so loyal…..good job, Wave. I'll support Thanatos from here."

As he let loose with a fierce barrage of Needles, one of which managed to catch Akame in the back of the knee as she was focused on attacking Thanatos, the fight that had been a stalemate until a few seconds suddenly turned in Thanatos' favor as Akame's attacks began to waver! As his Scythe flashed towards Akame's head, she seemed frozen in place until Leone suddenly leapt into the way of the Scythe slash, a cry of pain echoing out from her lips as her legs flew off and into the ocean! As the two women tumbled across the ship and slammed into Lubbock, Thanatos' form began to billow black smoke as his trembling voice could be heard.

"Damn…..I'm…..all spent…!"

As his form suddenly erupted into black smoke and Tatsumi's body emerged seconds later, Wave and Run raced to his side, Tatsumi's eyes going distant as he spoke.

"Haaaa…..I'm…..alive…..?"

As he collapsed into Run's arms, Run smiled warmly as he replied.

"Yea…..thank the emperor. Welcome back to the land of the living, Tatsumi."

Turning to wave, Run spoke in a serious tone of voice as the three Night Raid assassins began to move across the deck, his face stone cold as he spoke.

"Wave…we need to go. There's no way we can hold off those three and protect Tatsumi here at the same time."

Wave, still in grand chariot, nodded as he readied his spear.

"It looks like the yellow one's down for the count, though. Her legs came off and it looks like she's having trouble bringing them back….and the others don't look too thrilled to fight us again. I think we could win."

Run flapped Mastema once as he spoke once more, his voice and face firm as he did so.

"No, we can't risk it! Wave, Tatsumi doesn't have a pulse!"

As Wave's armored head suddenly turned towards Run, concern clearly seeped into his voice as he spoke once more.

"That so….? Damn it, then we need to get out of here…..Esdeath'll get pissed at us if he dies on us."

As the two shared a shiver down their spine as they imagine Esdeath torturing them for losing her new toy, the two nodded simultaneously at each other as Run spoke, Mastema carrying him and Tatsumi up into the sky as he spoke down to Wave beneath him.

"Can you get off of the boat and back to HQ, wave?"

Wave's armored form nodded once more as his spear vanished into dust, his voice coming from his armor as he replied in a confident voice.

"Yea, don't sweat me. I'm a man of the sea, after all…This is nothing."

And with that, Run flew off into the sky, Tatsumi's limp form between his arms as the two dwindled into the distance.

 **Jaegar HQ, an hour later.**

As she stood in front of an operating table, Dr. Stylish opposite her as she stood there, Esdeath frowned as she spoke and glanced down at Tatsumi's prone form.

"So is he dead, Stylish?"

Stylish gingerly ran his hands over Tatsumi's body before frowning and replying with a timid voice.

"I-…..I don't know, Esdeath-sama."

Anger seeping into her face, the room dropped a whole ten degrees in temperature as she replied.

"And…..why, I dare ask…is that?"

Recoiling at the sheer hostility she was giving off, Stylish directed her attention down to Tatsumi's body as he tapped Tatsumi's solar plexus in the center of his chest.

"Well…..if you focus on the aura coming off of this boy…..he has two completely separate Teigu energies inside of him. Which means…."

Esdeath interrupted him as curiosity clearly creeped onto her face.

"…that young Tatsumi has…. _Two separate Teigus!"_

Stylish nodded slowly, then frowned as he spoke once more, his hands brushing Tatsumi's chest as he did so.

"Yes, correct. But…if you focus even harder, you can also sense one of them is weaker than the others, and is spread through his whole body…..as if it has replaced his bones."

Touching her fingers to Tatsumi's bare chest, Esdeath spoke, almost to herself.

"Amazing…..to think, there exists a boy in this world who can handle the raw power of two Teigu at once….! Even I am not sure if I could do such a thing, you know."

Seeming to remember where she was, Esdeath snapped back to reality as she spoke once more.

"So….is he dead? Has my greatest asset died on me? That would be….unfortunate."

As if he had heard her, Tatsumi coughed and spluttered as he sat up on the table, his eyes faded and grey as he rubbed them and spoke in a pained voice.

"Hah….be careful, Stylish might think you've fallen for my rugged good looks."

Esdeath barely cracked a smile as she crossed her arms and spoke in her same old commanding voice.

"Watch your mouth….don't address your commander that way. Besides…you're scruffier looking than anything."

Looking up at her, Tatsumi cracked a wry smile as he replied in a humorless tone.

"Oh? What are you doing to do, kill me? Sorry, but if so you've missed your chance."

She leaned in closer to him as she replied with a stone face.

"Don't tempt me…"

Holding his hands up, Stylish cleared his throat loudly as he interrupted.

"Yes, well…can we please address the fact young Tatsumi is speaking to us without a pulse, please?"

As Esdeath looked surprised and touched her hand to Tatsumi's wrist, her eyes widened as she drew her face back from Tatsumi's and spoke.

"You're right….Interesting."

Suddenly, Tatsumi cocked his head as if someone was speaking to him, then began to mutter to himself.

"Uh huh…..yeah…really? Okay…..wait….you're serious?!"

As Stylish and Esdeath glanced at each other for clues, Tatsumi suddenly looked pale as he swung himself off of the operating table and scratched his head as he spoke.

"Yeah….I need some time."

Before he could leave, however, Esdeath grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"No way. You're coming with me, and explaining to me what's going on! As your commander, I must know the state of my troops!"

Tatsumi looked up at her with disinterest as he nodded slowly.

"Yeah…..whatever."

As Esdeath led Tatsumi to her personal bedroom, the minute she shut the door she whirled around and was about to speak to Tatsumi when he spoke first.

"Thanatos wants to talk to you.."

Before her very eyes, Tatsumi's skin went translucent and he grew large, pitch black wings and donned a cloak with a skull mask! As red eyes appeared behind the mask, a chilling voice came from behind it.

"You are Tatsumi's master, I presume?"

Esdeath, still in a state of shock, could only nod. Thanatos nodded happily to himself as he continued.

"Good, good. Now I've already told Tatsumi this just now, so listen up…."

Pausing for a moment, Thanatos continued.

"My power is the only thing holding Tatsumi together….the boy is basically a ticking time bomb, honestly. I was able to preserve his body by using my power to lock his body in time before it began to decay, but doing so and keeping it going is eating up almost 75% of my power…if this boy takes any other serious wounds, he _will_ die. He isn't immortal since his brain will still age normally, and he isn't invincible by any means! Got it?"

Esdeath crossed her arms, her composure back again, and spoke.

"So if I happened to run you through with some of my ice, Tatsumi would die?"

Thanatos summoned his scythe and spoke in a low, menacing voice as the black mist seemed to roll off him more and more.

"Yes…..but I'll give you a couple scratches before that, though."

As the two stared at each other for a solid thirty seconds, suddenly Esdeath smirked and chuckled softly to herself, waving her hand dismissively as she spoke.

"I like you, so rest assured I have no reason to hurt Tatsumi as of yet…after all, what sense would it make if I damaged my most valuable fighter? No no, he is quite valuable to me."

Thanatos seemed to hesitate for a few seconds before letting his scythe vanish into black dust, his voice slightly less menacing as his skin began to return to normal.

"I can sense some sort of truth in your words…..though I get the feeling you think of Tatsumi more as a prize to be conquered and broken than any sort of warrior….in any case, I'll be taking my leave now."

As Thanatos' skull mask and cloak vanished and gave way to Tatsumi's white jacket he loved to wear, Tatsumi glanced at Esdeath with cool indifference and spoke, his voice quiet.

"There you have it. Your most prized possession, damaged goods….whatever you plan on doing, just don't hurt my village."

Her face not budging for a long time, Esdeath seemed to be enjoying herself as she spoke to him once more.

"Oh? If I remember correctly, I only said I would do anything of that sort if you defied me…so far, you seem to be perfectly loyal, so I see no need to punish you for that."

Glancing at her with suspicion in his eyes, Tatsumi spoke hesitantly.

"Oh yeah? You sure you're not going soft?"

Esdeath's eyes twitched as she spoke, a little bit of anger in her voice as she gave Tatsumi a cold glare.

"Watch your mouth, lest I rip it off. Why can't you get it through that thick skull of yours…."

Taking a step back as she stepped so close to him their bodies almost touched, he fell back onto the cold floor as she glanced down at him and spoke, a cold grin on her face as she did so.

"You belong to _me._ As such, I shall not let any harm to my possessions so long as they obey me, got that? Besides….."

Kneeling down above him and getting right in his face, Tatsumi found himself unable to scoot back any further as she briefly touched his chin with her index finger and spoke.

"That adorable face of yours…..is mine, and mine alone."

His face going beet red, Tatsumi's manly façade he had been putting on ever since being captured half-crumbled as he stuttered and tried to speak as he tried to push himself even farther back into the corner he was in.

"Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha…..WHAT? Wait wait wait, you don't say things like that! Since when have you ever showed any emotion but 'my heart is colder than a deep freezer'?!"

Standing up and grinning, Esdeath crossed her arms and retrieved a collar from her waist as she spoke, another cold yet creepy grin spreading across her face.

"I won't have my possessions talking back to me like that!"

As she bent down and tried to slap a collar around his neck, Tatsumi yelped and summoned Pluto as he lay in the corner of her bedroom, laying there in full armor as Esdeath clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Think you can hide from me in that armor?"

Tatumi's panicked voice came from the armor as he replied.

"YES! I'm supposed to not get injured, remember that, you crazy woman?! If I let you slap that collar on me for your idea of 'play time' or whatever, I probably wouldn't survive the night! NO THANKS!"

Esdeath made an angry face as she poked his armor with her rapier, ice creeping out from her as she spoke.

"Don't speak such nonsense. So long as you don't resist me, I can be as gentle as the situation requires!"

Tatsumi laughed crazily in his armor for the better part of a minute before composing himself through some serious effort and replying to her.

"HAH! 'Gentle' isn't a word in your vocabulary, you can't fool me! As much as fun as it sounds to let you have your way with me or what have you, I never thought of myself as much of a masochist, thank you very much!"

Sheathing her sword as she realized she couldn't break through Pluto, Esdeath let out a sigh as she spoke down to him, still cowering inside Pluto in the corner.

"Then clearly you have not tried it. With some effort, I'm sure you would come to understand how amazing my offer is!"

Tatsumi began inching for the door, still inside his armor as he gave a quick reply.

"Yeah, I'll pass, thanks! Now if you'll excuse me…."

Before he could leave her room, however, he felt himself hit a wall of ice as her chilling voice came from the doorway.

"You're not excused. You're not going to leave until I get my way…you'll need to come out of that armor eventually!"

After second of silence, a very un-manly whimper came from Pluto as Tatsumi squeaked out a reply.

"Can't you just let me leave? Surely standing there all night won't be fun…"

Esdeath, however, only chuckled coldly as she replied flippantly.

"Nonsense! The wait is half of the fun of a conquest!"

Tatsumi only moaned again as he spoke, almost to himself.

"Crazy woman…."

Esdeath only laughed as Tatsumi thought to himself, still inside of Pluto.

 _Fuck…..this is going to be a long night._

 **Near King's rock, south of the capital**

Standing inside of an old mansion, Bulat, Budo and the emperor had just arrived at the emperor's retreat the boy emperor had told them about, and it looked like it hadn't been used in centuries. Budo's gruff voice was heard behind Bulat as he set the emperor down.

"What a run-down place…..but it looks like no one has found it in all this time, at least."

As the three entered the mansion and spread out to look around, Bulat soon found himself in the main bedroom that the emperor would presumably stay in, and was looking around the mostly barren room when he felt something _click_ when he ran his finger over the wall! Pausing and moving his hand back to where the click had been heard, he gently pushed on the wall and watched as the back of the fireplace at the far corner of the room suddenly gave way, revealing a hidden passage behind it! In a stupor, Bulat made his way into the dark and musty passage that looked like it hadn't been used in almost a thousand years, walking down the long corridor in darkness until he came upon a door, embossed in gold and silver. Gingerly touching the gold handle and swinging the door open, Bulat entered what looked to be a workshop for building something! Stepping around the half-built contraptions and gizmos, he walked over to the main work table at the far side of the room and came upon what looked to be an ancient blueprint! Well aware that if he touched it that it could crumble, Bulat squinted his eyes as he tried to read the faded, elegant writing on it.

"By the decree of myself, Titus Ganymede, first emperor of the empire and creator of the Teigu…I hereby call upon whoever is reading this to take this blueprint to the emperor of your time. This is my greatest creation, the culmination of my entire lifespan, and now that my health is waning and my life looks as though it might end tomorrow, I must inscribe the plans for the ultimate Teigu that I have ever designed…."

Glancing down, Bulat could barely breathe as he spoke the name that was in big, bold letters above the main designs.

"Jupiter, the walking battle tank…what?"

Reading on after speaking the name of this new Teigu that the first emperor had supposedly designed, Bulat read on.

"Jupiter, my greatest creation….if this Teigu were ever to be built, it would undoubtedly be the most powerful Teigu in existence, of this I am sure. Not even Shikoutaser, which rests beneath the imperial Capital, could match its power….of this, I am sure. But sadly, I fear Jupiter will never come to be built…"

Reading on, his attention locked on this blueprint, Bulat felt his excitement rising as he continued on, desperate to learn more about this 'Super-Teigu'.

"To build Jupiter, you cannot simply kill an especially powerful danger beast….no, that would not work. After much research and work, me and the remaining scientists managed to implement another function in the heavenly forge, one that lets you combine Teigu to upgrade others…but it also serves another function, one that I instructed Svarthad, the keeper of the forge, only to use for Jupiter's creation. You see…..to build Jupiter, it requires you to…."

Bulat trailed off as he read on, his voice going hoarse as he spoke to himself.

"No way…no way!"

But read on, Bulat did.

"It requires you to….combine multiple existing Teigu to form one that surpasses all the rest! As to the specific Teigu, I have narrowed some of the required ones down that would be needed to create it and make it suitably powerful, but for certain functions that I want it to have….I have yet to find a Teigu for them."

Reading on, Bulat got to the part where the necessary Teigu needed to create Jupiter were laid out.

"First, we would need the demon armor, Incursio….Incursio would provide the bedrock of Jupiter's creation, giving the armor the adaptability to change and fit any situation, but also provide some of the armor that it would need…..the invisibility wouldn't hurt, either. Secondly, we would need the armor of my right hand man Arthur…..Pluto, the deathless armor. Pluto would provide the rest of the armor for Jupiter, and would make the armor itself impregnable, a veritable fortress….hence, the name 'walking battle tank'. Thirdly, since in my designs the wielder of Jupiter would be _inside_ of it, much like it was some sort of mechanical power-armor or the like, I wanted Jupiter to possess some sort onboard healing function. Sadly, the closest Teigu I could come up with this was Perfector, the hands of god….but it would not work. We need a Teigu that has the power to heal someone, or perhaps the power to keep someone alive…perhaps the beast king Lionel transformation would work, but….I do not know. If I could only find the third Teigu to provide the onboard healing function, I believe Jupiter could potentially come to fruition! If it was built exactly how I have laid out here with the Teigu I have mention above, the suit of power armor that would be Jupiter would have an onboard automated assistant made from Pluto's intelligence, would be tough enough to survive Shikoutaser's attacks, and would have an adaptability function that would allow it to adapt to heat, cold, or anything in between! I even predict that this adaptability would allow the armor to upgrade itself by inserting new Teigu…..but, I am unsure of this. As to the wielder of Pluto…I cannot even come close to predicting what kind of person the armor would choose to wield it, but….I am sure only perhaps one person in the whole world would be worthy, whoever that may be. So, in conclusion, whoever is reading this right now, please….find the Teigu I have mentioned above, and bring this plan to the emperor…so he may build it to keep my empire safe."

As he finished reading and saw no more notes left behind, Bulat briefly glanced at the designs the first emperor had drawn to try and imagine what Jupiter would come out looking like, and Bulat whistled appreciatively as he looked at them.

"Wow…..it would be almost twelve feet tall, would weigh five whole tons, and would have almost two feet of solid armor all around it! Shit, man…this thing would be a demon! If the wrong people got a hold of this…"

Bulat imagined the minister getting a hold of it and using it to crush all his enemies, but Bulat shook his head to get the thought out of his head as he thought about the Teigu needed to make it.

 _I have Incursio, obviously…and Tatsumi has Pluto….hopefully. As to the third….maybe Tatsumi would know. Either way, this gives me an excuse to go rescue him!_

Making his way back to the bedroom and seeing the Emperor and Budo staring at the hidden passageway, Bulat glanced at them and spoke.

"You guys need to see this."

 **An hour later**

After showing both of them the plans, Bulat, Budo and the emperor were sitting in the living room of the mansion as the little emperor spoke to Bulat.

"Good job, spearman…..those plans were interesting. In any case, you are right….we need to go rescue that other boy."

Budo nodded in agreement as he spoke.

"Yes….but since I cannot leave the side of the emperor, you must go."

The emperor looked over at Budo as he finished speaking and nodded.

"Yes, Budo is right. Spearman…Bulat, was it? As the emperor, I am ordering you….go rescue that Tatsumi boy from General Esdeath….whatever it takes!"

Bulat stood up and grinned as he hooked his thumb and pointed himself.

"Count on me! There's no way I'd let Tatsumi suffer at her hands for using himself as Bait like that!"

Budo nodded with a satisfied grunt as he spoke, his voice softer than normal.

"Yes….you know, spearman….for assassins, you two are certainly honorable. I would be proud if you two had decided to serve beside me, know that."

Bulat grinned as he nodded at Budo, combing his hair as he made his way to the door.

"Thanks, old man…and honestly? For someone with hair that looks like he was just hit by lightning, you really were a lot cooler than I was expecting."

As Bulat left the mansion, the emperor seemed to think for a moment before speaking to no one in particular.

"Such a fool I've been…I've let that minister run this great empire into the ground…."

Budo said nothing, merely patted the emperor's head, as if to comfort the poor boy from his worries.

 **Jaegar HQ, the following morning**

As Bols stood in the kitchen making breakfast, he heard Kurome's voice from the table as she seemed to be speaking to him.

"Bols…..you seen Tatsumi? Run and Wave told me they brought him back pretty beat up last night."

Pausing for a moment, Bols turned back to her before speaking, his voice as timid as ever.

"I'm afraid not, Kurome….though I did hear some strange sounds from Esdeath-sama's room last night."

Kurome seemed to think about this for a moment before speaking again.

"Yeah…..me too."

As she went back to munching on her snacks, she watched as Tatsumi drug himself into the room, his features haggard and worn as he sat down a few seats to the right of Kurome and slammed his face into the table, a moan escaping his lips. Turning to him, Kurome spoke to him between bites.

"Tatsumi? What's wrong?"

Tatsumi only let out another groan as he mumbled back at her.

"Don't wanna talk about it…"

Shrugging, Kurome went back to eating when she saw Esdeath walk into the room looking much happier than usual! And when she saw her glance at Tatsumi with a satisfied look on her face, Kurome tried not to think about what those noises had been last night.

 _Either the sounds of Torture or….that other thing._

And with that, Esdeath addressed everyone.

"We don't really have anything to do right now….so today's a free day. That's all."

As she left the room, Tatsumi sat up and rubbed his shoulder as Thanatos began to speak in his head.

 _Listen, boy! Whatever you call what you two did last night, it didn't really leave you intact! Right now, I'm using 95% percent of my power to keep your body from rotting and falling apart! GOT THAT? No more stunts like last night! If I reach 100% of my capacity and you take another wound, that's it! GAME OVER MAN, GAME OVER! You die, end of story!_

Tatsumi only groaned as he mumbled back.

" _You_ try to tell that woman no….it's not going to happen. She just waited until I couldn't keep Pluto out any more then tried to slap her damn collar on me again…it was hell. Honestly, she's a lot stronger than she looks, you know."

Thanatos chuckled as he replied.

 _Looked to me like you were kind of enjoying it, though. All that talk of not being a masochist…_

Tatsumi angrily waved his hand in the air as if to shut Thanatos up as he once again mumbled a reply.

"Shut it. Not. Another. Word. Luckily, my clothes never came off since I kept struggling, but she didn't make it easy on me. I almost got impaled a few times, you know."

Thanatos grumbled a bit before replying.

 _I'm well aware, boy…..I'm in here too, remember? You get impaled, so do I. Not pleasant for either of us, I think._

Tatsumi merely sighed as he rose from the table, thanked Bols for the food, and began roaming the halls, eventually finding himself on the roof! As he sighed and sat down on the edge of the roof and looked down on the city hundreds of feet beneath him, he glanced up and spoke to no one in particular.

"I don't even have a pulse…Whenever Pluto told me I'd become something less than human if I kept using his power….he wasn't kidding. Geez…."

Feeling his wrist and sighing when he felt no pulse, Tatsumi heard Pluto's voice in his head.

 _I did say that, but even I didn't think that this would happen…You know, Thanatos….if you hadn't been stopping Tatsumi from summoning me on that ship….we wouldn't be in this mess!_

Thanatos' angry voice shot back at Pluto inside Tatsumi's head.

 _Shut it! You don't know what it's like to be like that, unable to think or even be conscious at all, stuffed into a tiny rock for hundreds of years! And besides, it all worked out in the end, right?_

Pluto's annoyed voice was heard once more.

 _Yeah, if you can call the state Tatsumi's in 'worked out'…for fucks sake Thanatos, if he gets a damn scratch on him he's going to fall apart! This isn't okay!_

Thanatos merely huffed indignantly as he replied

 _Then use your powers to keep him safe, Mister 'Deathless armor'…..isn't making him invincible your whole thing?_

Even Tatsumi could tell that what Thanatos had said just struck a nerve as Pluto fell silent for a second, his quiet voice only heard a minute later.

 _Shut up…..shut up! You have no idea what it's like to watch the man you were created to serve fight by your side for decades, only to watch as he dies right in front of you! And then, on top of it all, having to watch his corpse fucking decay for five hundred years before some bandits find you and make off with you! And now you're telling me I might have to watch another one of my users die again, after we've fought through so many battles? No…..I won't let it happen._

Thanatos fell eerily silent as Tatsumi interrupted the two bickering Teigu.

"Shut up, both of you. And I don't plan on going anywhere so long as I have Pluto to protect me, so don't worry…..okay?"

As Tatsumi sighed and glanced out over the city below him, he heard the door to the roof behind swing open behind him, followed by Kurome's voice as she sat down beside him and spoke.

"Hey."

Sighing, Tatsumi once again felt his wrist for a pulse before speaking.

"Hey, Kurome…"

Clearly hearing that he was down, Kurome turned to him with her same expressionless face and held out her bag of snacks as she spoke.

"You look like you could use one."

Staring at her for a few seconds, Tatsumi grinned tiredly as he took one from the bag and munched on it beside her, swallowing it as he spoke once more.

"My life's on a countdown now, Kurome….I don't have a pulse and my body is held together like a damn marionette…whenever I came to the capital to try and save my village by joining the army, I never quite imagined things would turn out like this. Here I am now, two separate annoying Teigu inside of me, my body held together with essentially duct tape and strings, my friends dead and gone, the one person who I came to trust like my own brother who knows where after I bought time for him to escape…..who do I have left? What's even left for me in this life, y'know? Does my life even have a purpose anymore…..? Even the whole idea of killing the minister has kind of lost its luster after seeing the emperor like that, just a child who was forced to become emperor….damn it all."

Kurome didn't even try to make a reply for a long time, silence falling between them for a good ten minutes before she finished munching on a snack and finally spoke.

"I can't answer that. We all need to find our own reasons to live, Tatsumi….no one can tell us what to live for. Me…I live so that I can kill my sister. Seiryuu…..she lives for the sake of her own ideas of Justice. You? Only you can decide what you want to live for, Tatsumi. Whether it be love, friends, or whatever…..that's up to you."

As Tatsumi glanced at her, he sighed as he turned back to face the sky and spoke.

"I suppose you're right…I need to find that out for myself, huh?"

The two fell silent as they shared the twilight sky, neither one feeling the need to say anything…

 **Night raid HQ**

As Najenda stood in the great hall and watched Leone limp into the room, supported by Lubbock and Akame, she clapped her hands.

"Okay people, we've heard new things about Tatsumi, things that might just lead to what we've been seeking ever since we saw that necklace of his! Go ahead, Akame. Tell us what you saw on the boat so the newbies can hear."

As a man with horns on head and a weapon that looked like a huge Q-tip and a woman with a lollipop in her mouth stepped forward beside the two Brothers, Akame spoke.

"Tatsumi's power was different than what it had been the last time we saw him…he never even took out his armor, but I could still sense its' power deep inside of him. The interesting part was that a completely new Teigu manifested itself when Leone punched a hole in his stomach, and it called itself Thanatos….."

The man with the horns stepped forward and frowned as he spoke.

"You mean to say, Akame, that this 'Tatsumi' has the powers of two Teigu?"

Akame nodded.

"Yes. And in addition…the powers of his original one seemed upgraded, judging from the aura I was getting from him."

As if this was what she wanted Akame to say, Najenda spoke once more and cut Akame off.

"And there you have it…an upgraded Teigu, and completely new one…..I think we can safely assume that Tatsumi and Bulat managed to find the place where all Teigu came from somehow, and used its power to upgrade Tatsumi's armor!"

As startled rumors went around the room, Najenda continued.

"Yes, yes….surprising I know, but we need to secure that place for ourselves, so I making a new mission for us. Since Alexei and Jakov have been asking to go on their first mission, not to mention we have two other new faces here….I figured we'd make this a mission for all of us! Tomorrow….Night Raid assaults the capital to try and capture Tatsumi!"

 **The Capital, right outside Jaegar HQ**

Leaning up against a wall as he combed his hair, Bulat glanced up at the roof of the massive building he saw before him and could just barely make out Tatsumi's aura from the roof! A grin crossing his face, Bulat spoke up, as if Tatsumi could hear him.

"Found you….thank god you're still alive, Tatsumi. Don't worry….I'm going to sneak into that place and get you out of there!"

 **And there's chapter Eight! I tried to get it out today since it's labor day(here in the states) and I have classes off, so here you go! I'm going to start typing the next chapter right after this so I can hopefully have chapter nine out tomorrow, but no promises. Anyway, with Tatsumi in some strange sort of state that's somewhere between life and death, what's going to become of him? And what's going to become of Jupiter, this new "Super-Teigu" that Bulat found the blueprints for….? As to the polls, it looks like Esdeath is in the lead by almost 30%, since she has almost 60% of the votes, I think she's going to come out on top. Yes, I included some Kurome in this chapter too, but I'm not going to just have Tatsumi suddenly stop talking to Kurome if Esdeath wins, I figured there's no reason they couldn't be friends at least. Oh, and I'm happy with the bits with Esdeath I got in this chapter too, and I hope you guys liked them too! Anyway, thanks for reading, and keep those reviews coming! I love reading each one!**


	9. Chapter 9: Love N' War

**Chapter Nine: Love N' War**

Sitting alone in the lounge area of Jaegar HQ, Tatsumi was staring into the crackling fireplace, and had been for a while when he heard the door open and someone else came in and sat down beside him. Finally, he snapped out of his daze as he stared at the fireplace when he heard someone's voice from beside him.

"Hey."

Glancing over to see Kurome sitting beside him, Tatsumi grunted in affirmation before returning his gaze to the fireplace as he replied a few seconds later, his voice distant, with a twinge of sadness.

"You ever been scared of death, Kurome?"

She was silent for a long while before gripping her sword just a little bit tighter, her voice quiet as she replied.

"No…not really. As an assassin, you learn to walk beside Death…you become pretty close with death, you come to know it as you would a family member. But the one thing that does scare me, Tatsumi…."

Glancing over to see her staring into the fireplace as she gripped her sword tight, Tatsumi raised an eyebrow as she continued.

"…is dying before I can kill my sister."

Once again thinking about how much she reminded him of Akame, Tatsumi returned his gaze to the fireplace as he replied, his voice calm.

"Yea, you've mentioned that before…..is your sister, by any chance, Akame?"

Instantly glancing over at Tatsumi, Kurome stared at him for a few seconds before turning back to the fireplace and nodding in affirmation.

"Uh-huh. How did you know?"

Tatsumi chuckled and glanced up at the ceiling as he replied, suppressing his giggles as he replied.

"Hah….cause you both could eat an entire refrigerator whole! A big appetite must run in the family, huh?"

Chuckling one more to himself, Tatsumi finally composed himself and glanced back over to see Kurome staring at him, her expression unreadable before she finally replied after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"Yea…I guess."

Realizing that his joke must have been only funny to him, Tatsumi awkwardly scratched his head before mumbling an apology.

"….Sorry."

Turning his gaze back to the fireplace, a heavy silence descended upon them for a long while before Tatsumi finally broke the silence with a cough, followed by a question.

"Hey, Kurome…why do you hate Akam-err, you sister, so much? From the sounds of things, you still love her, so what happened? Ah, I didn't mean to pry or anything-!"

Glancing over to him once more and looking at him, Kurome sighed softly before leaning back in the chair and speaking as she pulled one of her snacks out of her snack bag and ate it.

"Nah, it's okay…I trust you, Tatsumi."

His heart skipping a beat, Tatsumi internally jumped for joy as he thought to himself.

 _Hah! A girl just said she trusted me…! And Sayo said that'd never happen….._

His gaze turning sad for a second as his thoughts drifted back to Sayo and Ieyasu, they were quickly lifted up once more as Kurome continued her story.

"Me and my sister were brought up in one of the empire's programs for making assassins…it was hell, but we managed to survive through it all where almost everyone else died…we were strong. But at some point…..they separated us, and after we started getting our missions, it really wasn't long before she left us and joined Night Raid! She betrayed us, betrayed the empire…and I'll kill her for it."

Nodding slowly, Tatsumi smiled softly as he turned back to the fireplace.

"I see….it sounds like it really wasn't easy, then. I won't lie to you by saying I understand, but…"

As Kurome also began to stare at the fireplace, she yelped as Tatsumi slapped her on the back and grinned like an idiot as he patted her head and spoke as she turned to him in disbelief.

"Don't forget you have people to lean on now, okay? From the feeling you're always giving off, I can kinda tell you prefer going it alone, am I right? If I had to guess, you really just want to prove that you're strong enough to fight alongside us without any help…?"

Still in shock from Tatsumi's back slap-head pat combo, Kurome only nodded slowly as Tatsumi continued.

"Well that's nice and all….there's nothing wrong with wanting to be strong on your own, y'know? But don't forget, Kurome….."

Tatsumi seemed to take a breath before continuing.

"In my eyes…..true strength comes from teamwork. Sure, proving to the world you can do something hard on your own is an awesome accomplishment, but if you worked together with people you trust with your life to do that same thing, doesn't that show that not only are you strong enough to get it done, it shows that you're strong enough to accept help and work together? Trust me, Kurome…some things, you just can't possibly do alone…sometimes, you can only do something _because_ you have someone you care about and trust with life rooting for you."

As his gaze seemed to drift into some sort of recollection or memory, Kurome seemed to think about this before turning to Tatsumi and speaking.

"You sound like you speak from experience."

Snapping out of his memory, Tatsumi grinned once more as he nodded and replied.

"Yeah, I doubt I'd even be here now if I hadn't gotten help from my friends….I'd probably be dead right now if had never ever accepted help, even once."

Kurome looked slightly surprised as she spoke again.

"But…how could anything threaten _you,_ with that armor?"

Summoning the gauntlet on his right hand, Tatsumi stared at his as he replied after a short period of silence.

"Even my armor isn't unbreakable…..I just haven't found anything strong enough to break it. You never should believe you're ever the strongest at anything…..because there's always someone who is better at it than you. So if the day comes and something is strong enough to shatter this armor….I'd fight with all my heart, but it might not be something I could do on my own."

Letting his gauntlet vanish from his hand, Tatsumi caught himself staring at the ring on his finger than let him summon his chains when he suddenly felt a strange vision flash into his head, as if the ring felt like showing him a glimpse of something.

 _Tatsumi saw a man dressed in Pluto who he assumed to be himself kneeling on a barren plain, blood seeping from every crevice and crack in his armor as he saw angry shadows closing in around him. It was clear that if this man tried to fight anymore, he would die…..but the man, his shields shattered and cracked, his armor splintered, bellowed a cry of anger and charged headlong into the shadows._

 _Tatsumi knew the man didn't survive._

Snapping back to reality, Tatsumi put his hand to his head as he thought about the short vision he had just seen.

 _That reminded me of Arthur's death…was that me…? Did I just…see…my own death?_

Shaking his head, Tatsumi tried to expel such thoughts from his head as Kurome's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"You…..okay?"

Shaking his head once more, Tatsumi grinned and nodded as he rubbed his head absentmindedly.

"Yea…Yea. Just a weird vision, I guess…."

As his gaze once more drifted back to the fireplace, it was a while before Tatsumi spoke again to break the silence, his voice quiet.

"Hey, Kurome….."

Glancing over at him as she was in the middle of munching on one of her snacks, Kurome raised an eyebrow as Tatsumi continued.

"Silly question I guess, but…"

Taking a deep breath as if to gather up the courage to say what he was thinking, Tatsumi continued.

"You ever think about stuff like love? Probably not, right?"

Kurome seemed to think about this for a minute before simply reaching into her bag for another snack.

"Nope."

Tatsumi chuckled softly as he spoke.

"Heh…..exactly what I expected! That's hilarious."

Glancing over at him with an indignant look on her face, Tatsumi wiped a tear from his eye as he managed to stop laughing and defend himself.

"Hey, Hey! Sorry, it's just that….haha…..you always give the same, dead tone of voice when you reply! No matter what it is, you're just like 'Yup.'!"

Kurome seemed to take a deep breath before replying.

"Would you rather be expressive?"

Tatsumi rubbed his chin thoughtfully before shaking his head side to side.

"Nah, you're fine the way you are, I think."

Kurome seemed satisfied with this answer and went silent for a while before suddenly replying as Tatsumi's gaze had once more locked onto the fireplace.

"I don't really think about things like love or mushy stuff like that, but…"

Glancing over at Kurome as she paused, Tatsumi raised an eyebrow as she turned to him with that same dead expression and continued.

"I probably could give it more thought….."

His face flushing for a second as he realized what she was implying, Tatsumi quickly broke out in a fit of laughter, much to the surprise of Kurome who looked 100% offended.

"Sorry, sorry! Oh my god….Ahhahahaha….how could you just say that with that same face you always have on?! Oh shit, that's priceless….! Oh man, I think I'm gonna cry that was so funny…"

Wiping tears from his face as he finally began to calm down, he waved his hands to defend himself from Kurome's withering gaze as he spoke to defend himself.

"Don't be mad!"

Finally calming down, Tatsumi continued as he wiped the last of his laughter-induced tears from his eyes.

"Sorry, seriously! I appreciate that. I really do, okay?"

As her gaze finally returned to normal as she slowly reached back into her snack bag, she turned back to the fireplace as she continued, her voice a little softer than normal.

"Well….? Shouldn't you be saying something right now?"

Waiting a full second, Tatsumi jumped when he heard Pluto's voice in his head!

 _You're supposed to tell her you feel the same way, you idiot._

Slamming his fist into his palm, Tatsumi nodded as he realized what she meant.

"Oh! Hey, my bad….I'm kinda dense when it comes to this stuff sometimes….."

Turning to him slowly, Kurome grinned ever so slightly as she spoke.

"I can tell."

Clearing his throat, Tatsumi continued seriously as he spoke slowly and deliberately.

"I've kinda already given that stuff a lot of thought, y'know? And honestly there really weren't many girls here in the first place other than you and Seiryuu….and I've never really talked to her, so….."

Fidgeting a bit, Tatsumi paused before continuing.

"….So I guess what I'm trying to say is that you're the nicest girl here. I only say nicest girl because I think Bols is made up of 98% happiness, or something. Seriously, how could that guy be so good at cooking? Anyway, what I guess I'm trying to say here is….."

Tatsumi once more took a deep breath as he pushed on with his words.

"…That…..I…..might...probably….kinda….sorta…Lik-"

Interuptted by a withering Gaze from Kurome, Tatsumi laughed humourlessly as he cleared his throat and continued.

"….er, that is…..I…love you….?"

His face going red, Tatsumi looked like he was going to melt and die from embarrassment before he suddenly equipped Pluto's helm! Sitting there with his clothes on and wearing his armored helmet, he remained motionless for a while waiting for Kurome to reply, but when she never did Tatsumi glanced over at her only to see her staring at her bag of snacks, her face beet-red! Seeing she was clearly trying to find the right words to say, Tatsumi let his helmet vanish and scratched his hair as he spoke again.

"Hey, listen….if you can't figure out anything to say, that's cool. No reason to force words, right?"

Her face losing some of its redness, she turned to him with a slightly shocked face and nodded slightly, clearly embarrassed she couldn't find the right words.

"Uh…..yeah…."

Tatsumi chuckled as he patted her on the head and spoke, a big grin spreading across his face as he did so.

"Hey, don't worry about it! I know you're not the best with words, so I promise there's no way in hell I'd go and die until you manage to finally give me an answer!"

Once again glancing at him, Kurome stared at him for a while before nodding and getting up suddenly, speaking while she moved hurriedly to the door.

"Ah-er-uh-well…thanks."

Pausing for a moment to turn around a bow slightly, Kurome spoke once more, her face going red again.

"Uh…I…..I'll find the words to give you and answer…..I promise."

Suddenly leaving and slamming the door behind her, Tatsumi let out a loud sigh and eased back into his chair, hooking his hands behind his head as he thought out loud.

"Geez…..that was tougher than fighting Esdeath, I think. Man….that was tense."

As if hearing his words, Pluto replied to him in his head, its voice full of sarcasm.

 _It doesn't help that you're probably as dense as steel, moron. Seriously, I bet if you could out-stubborn steel if you just headbutted it-_

Pluto was interrupted as Tatsumi smacked his own head, mumbling as he did so.

"Shut it. I swear, I'll-"

Suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door opening once more, Tatsumi glanced over and frowned as he saw Kurome standing in the doorway once more, looking perfectly normal! Returning his gaze to the fireplace, Tatsumi grunted and spoke to her.

"Back so soon? That was qui-"

His voice suddenly going silent as he felt a small, pencil needle slip into his neck and pierce his spine, he grunted angrily as he tried to glance behind him.

"You're not Kurome…..sadly, that little needle of yours may have seriously hurt anyone else, but….."

Sensing her leap back as he yanked the needle out of his neck, he turned around and saw a woman with long, pink hair standing before him with a lollipop in her mouth as he spoke, cracking his neck as black mist rose from his tiny wound to heal it.

"Unfortunately, you can't kill what's already dead."

Strangely, the woman smiled arrogantly as she replied, rolling the lollipop in her mouth as she did so.

"Wasn't trying to kill you."

Just as Tatsumi was about to make a snarky comeback, he heard Thanatos' slightly panicked voice inside of his head.

 _Boy, she injected some sort of paralytic agent into your brain stem! It's shutting your brain down….it's knocking you unconscious! Want me to expel it and use some of my power up?_

Tatsumi frowned and mumbled a reply as he began to get shaky on his feet.

"No…let's see….where this goes…"

As he stumbled forward and saw his vision going black, he felt the pink haired woman grunt as she caught him.

"Heavy! Geez, what do you eat?"

And with that, Tatsumi's vision went blank….

 **Unknown Location, a few hours later**

Feeling himself returning to the land of living, Tatsumi's eyes fluttered open and glanced around the room his was in as they tried to get a feel for his surroundings. As he did so he quickly came to realize that six or seven people were all standing around him, the woman with the pink hair touching a needle to his head as she spoke!

"Wakey Wakey…now don't move, 'cause I'm sure if you try to equip that armor of yours I could stab your brain before you did, 'kay?"

Sighing, Tatsumi nodded as she turned to look at Najenda, who was standing beside him.

"What the hell is this? You guys pissed I cut Leone's legs off?"

Najenda shook her head emotionlessly as she replied, her arms crossed.

"No. We're here for one reason and one reason only, Tatsumi…."

Before she could finish, Leone stepped forward and slapped Tatsumi's chest as she interrupted.

"We just need to find the forge!"

Frowning at Leone as she rubbed her temples, Najenda sighed as she continued.

"Yes, that. And since we now you and Bulat somehow managed to find it…..we'll be needing that information."

Tatsumi seemed to think about this for a moment before shaking his head and replying.

"Or what? You gonna torture a dead man?"

Her eyes narrowing with anger, Najenda spoke.

"We do not do such things….normally. For you and for the sake of finding the forge, headquarters has told us any method is acceptable….which means yes, we will torture you if necessary. Will you comply with us and tell us where it is?"

Tatsumi frowned as he replied, his expression not changing at all as he did so.

"You guys want it to mass-produce Teigu for the revolution, right?"

Seeing Najenda nod, Tatsumi continued.

"And your ultimate goal is to kill the minister and emperor, right?"

Seeing her nod again, Tatsumi's fists clenched as he continued speaking.

"Then no….no way. Honestly, our goals aren't that different…..we both want the minister dead. But mine differ in that I think I'm going to put the emperor back on the throne when we do kill the minister. I may have only talked with him briefly, but I could tell by looking into his eyes…..he had no idea what life was like outside of the palace…he had the eyes of one who knows nothing. In any case, I plan on teaching him how to be a proper emperor…..and I'm sure Bulat and Budo would agree with me."

Upon hearing the names of their old comrade and the grand general of the empire, Najenda's tone softened as she spoke in a curious tone.

"Ohh…? You know Budo? Are you allied?"

Tatsumi grinned as he replied.

"Not telling…but I guess I could give you a hint. It's in the palace somewhere."

A frown crossing her face, Najenda sighed.

"I guess we'll need to resort to tort-"

Before she could even respond, she stopped as she saw Leone go stiff, her expression changing as she glanced around the room. Turning to her, Akame spoke.

"Leone, everything okay?"

Leone suddenly tried to make a beeline for Sheele, who was leaning on the wall, her voice distressed.

"NO! SOMEONE'S OUT-"

Before she could finish, a shrill woman's voice could be heard from outside.

"CORO, SMASH!"

As the wall suddenly exploded inwards and a giant beast-dog entered the room headfirst, it's jaws wide as it had bitten the wall down, Sheele's body instantly vanished into its mouth as blood spurted from her limbs that remained outside the beast's closed mouth as the sounds of bones breaking and flesh tearing filled the air. Glancing over at the beast, Tatsumi grinned as he spoke.

"Seiryuu! How-"

Standing atop her dog-beast-thing, she grinned as she patted 'Coro' on the head and spoke as Sheele's body vanished into Coro's throat as it swallowed her.

"Esdeath sent me out to find you after we found a drop of blood and signs something happened in the break room! You okay?"

Summoning Pluto around him as the pink haired woman was distracted, Tatsumi easily snapped the steel bars holding him own and stood up as he tossed the Pink Haired woman across the room, her body slamming into the far wall and going motionless as he cracked his neck and spoke.

"Oh…I think I'm fine. Now let's mop up before they can-"

Before he could even finish, Najenda's voice was heard.

"Susanoo! Magatama Transformation!"

As the man with Bull horns grinned and began to transform, Tatsumi found his path blocked as the rest of Night Raid scattered out into the town before either him or Seiryuu could react, Najenda's voice trailing behind them.

"Susanoo! Hold them off and then return to me!"

As the horned man twirled a staff that somehow resembled a large Q-tip, his hair went white and armored plating suddenly covered his body as he glanced between Tatsumi and Seiryuu before speaking as he fixed his gaze on Tatsumi.

"The more dangerous one needs to die first!"

Whirling chainsaw blades emerging from his staff, Tatsumi barely had time to react as the man rushed at him, quicker than lightning! Seeing inky blackness begin to gather in his hands as he began to summon his shields, time seemed to slow to a crawl as Tatsumi tried to backpedal, his shields almost solidified when the horned man lunged under his shields just before they were solid, his weapon slamming into Tatsumi with a loud BANG as Tatsumi went careening through the wall behind him! Grunting as he felt himself travel through a few buildings, Tatsumi finally managed to stop himself and shake the rubble off of him as he stood up, glancing around just in time to see the horned man almost on top of him!

 _I don't have time to use my shields with this guy! I guess hand-to-hand it is!_

Letting his shields vanish as the horned man rushed at him, his bladed weapon whirring as he did so, Tatsumi sidestepped his lunge and slapped the staff aside as he stepped inside the man's guard, putting his foot behind his foes' foot as he flipped the man into the air! As the horned man tried to right himself in mid-air, he grunted as Tatsumi's armored fist rammed into his chest as he went careening into the wall behind him! Seeing the man stand up and crack his neck, Tatsumi was surprised when he spoke.

"What is your name, warrior?"

Unsure of how to react, Tatsumi spoke with hesitation in his voice.

"Uh….Tatsumi. Yours?"

The man readied his staff as he replied.

"The speed of lightning, Susanoo. It has certainly been a while since I've met someone so experience in hand-to-hand combat….and certainly a while since anyone has flipped me like that."

Tatsumi shrugged his armored shoulders as he replied.

"I picked up some things here and there…..there was a mercenary back in my village who taught me what I know of swordsmanship, and I managed to watch some stuff Bro did when he fights…y'know."

Susanoo grinned as he replied.

"Impressive. Now, let us see if you can give me a battle worthy of my skill! Yasakani no Magatama!"

Watching as Susanoo's body seemed to get faster and stronger, Tatsumi watched as he stepped forward and spoke.

"Since you've managed to land a punch on me….I shall honor you with an unarmed fight!"

Not even managing to respond as Susanoo shot at him faster than before, Tatsumi's battle-hardened reactions kicked in before he even had made a conscious decision, making him step to the side and deftly use his wrist to swipe Susanoo's armored fist aside as he did the same thing for another punch. Stepped inside of Susanoo's guard as he felt one of his punches shoot past his head, Tatsumi landed a single punch on Susanoo's chest, only to feel a fist slam into his armored side and send him a few steps sideways! Turning back to face Susanoo as a flurry of punches and kicks flew at him, Tatsumi managed to duck under a high kick and rise up just in time to punch Susanoo's elbow as another punch of his went above Tatsumi's head, making Susanoo recoil as Tatsumi went in for another strike! Just when he thought he would finish the fight however, Susanoo seemed to vanish and leave an after image as Tatsumi head a sharp "Hah!" from behind him. Feeling a fist impact his armored back, he felt his armor bow inwards as Susanoo drilled dozens more punches into Tatsumi's armor, finally stopping when Tatsumi whirled around and deflected his fist. Feeling his armor bend back into shape slowly, Tatsumi grinned under his helmet as he spoke.

"You're the first one who's managed to even put a scratch on this armor, much less a dent! Damn, you must hit like a truck…"

Susanoo bowed slightly as he replied.

"I am honored. After all, that armor is much, much harder than I had initially believed…that punch took much of my energy. The mere fact that you can match me in unarmed combat while I am in my Magatama manifestation speaks volumes of your skill of a warrior, boy…..I can think of few others who could do such a feat."

Tatsumi, his shields now in hand, also felt the need to bow slightly as he replied.

"Well, it's kinda nice to fight an honorable warrior for once…I'll give you that. This exhilaration, this feeling of all my senses going into overdrive….this is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the wonderful height of combat! In this hopeless body of mine that can no longer feel any pain or pleasure….combat is the only thing I have left to enjoy! So…..I must thank you for giving me this pleasure, Susanoo!"

Susanoo summoned his bladed staff and laughed as he replied and stepped forward.

"You speak the truth, boy…adrenaline, the rush, the excitement as your blade clashes with the enemy….Such is the feeling of combat. Now, shall we finish this?"

Tatsumi nodded as the two shot at each other once more, Susanoo's staff blocked by Tatsumi's shields as both of their movements became blurs, shields and staves moving so fast it seemed like their hands were moving at the speed of sound until Susanoo suddenly shot back through the wall and into the street as Tatsumi's movements came to a stop as he spoke.

"Damn…you landed some good blows."

As he struggled to rise from the street as his missing arm regenerated, Susanoo seemed to be listening to something as he spoke.

"Ah, my master is calling me….it seems we must continue this another time, Tatsumi."

Letting his armor vanish as Susanoo darted around the corner and out of sight, Tatsumi Seiryuu and Coro come to a stop beside him, Sieryuu's face covered in sweat as she spoke.

"Tatsumi! Come on, Night Raid's assaulting the palace….We don't have any time to waste! Esdeath is sending all Jaegars to the basement of the Palace, thought I don't know why."

Frowning as he hopped on Coro's back, Tatsumi thought to himself as Coro bounded down the streets of the capital, headed for the palace.

 _They're probably looking for the forge…..I shouldn't have given them that hint, I guess. If Esdeath is sending us to the basement to guard the door, she's worried about the getting there like I am. Let's hope they don't think to look in the basement first…..I think that hole I made when I crashed down from the throne room is still there._

Suddenly sensing a familiar presence in front of them as they neared the palace gates, he tapped Seiryuu's shoulder as he spoke.

"Stop for a second!"

As Coro came to a stop, Tatsumi glanced around the courtyard and frowned as he thought to himself once more.

 _I can feel bro around here, I swear.._

Cupping his hands to his mouth, Tatsumi called out, his voice booming over the courtyard.

"BRO! IT'S TATSUMI! WHERE ARE YOU?"

After about ten seconds had passed, Bro phased into reality right beside them in incursio as he spoke, his gaze clearly directed at Seiryuu as she and Coro turned to face him.

"Oh, there you are, Tatsumi! Are you-"

Tatsumi interrupted him before he could finish, however.

"No time for that! Bro, Night raid is assaulting the palace if you didn't know, looking for the forge! Get to the door and stop them!"

His spear instantly appearing in his hand, Bro nodded as he darted for the shattered palaces gates.

"Got it! Count on me, Tatsumi!"

Sighing in happiness, he turned back to Seiryuu.

"Okay, let's go…..and don't worry, that guy's cool, okay?"

Pausing for a moment, Seiryuu nodded before she tapped Coro's head and spoke.

"Let's go, Coro! To the palace basement, hurry!"

 **A few minutes later, the palace basement**

Bulat darted down the stairs and into the palace basement only to find the golden door wide open!

"Damn!"

Darting in the golden door and making sure to prop it open behind him, Bulat leapt elegantly over all the people in front of him so he landed perfectly in front of all of them, point his spear at Najenda, who was at the head of the pack, as he spoke.

"Sorry, guys….but you're not getting through. Trust me…..I'm not letting you through."

As the five or six people before him looked at him, Najenda sighed and spoke.

"Don't do this, Bulat…you can't win."

Bulat merely laughed, however.

"Says you."

Sighing once more, Najenda snapped her fingers and closed her eyes, almost like she didn't want to say what came next.

"Akame, Leone, Mine….Kill him."

As the three girls stepped forward and readied their respective Teigu, Leone spoke.

"Man….sorry about this, Bro..."

Rather than reply, Bulat vanished so quickly not a single person had time to react as Bulat appeared before Leone and rammed his spear through her chest, ramming her into the ground as he whispered into her ear!

"I'm not. You guys are nothing but worthless Teigu wielders who would kill an innocent kid to achieve your goals…I may be an assassin….but I hunt the guilty, not children."

Twisting his spear to make it hurt more as he sidestepped a blast from Mine's pumpkin, Bulat retrieved his spear from Leone's stomach just in time to bring it to bear as he clashed with Akame, her sword against his spear as he spoke.

"I won't lose! How could I stand to face Tatsumi if I lost when he was counting on me, when he needed me most? How could I face Budo or the Emperor, who trusted me enough to send me here?"

Leaping back as Mine shot another blast from Pumpkin at him, Bulat blocked another of Akame's slashes just in time to swipe aside another strike from Leone, who was now healed and attacking him as well! His spear suddenly moving faster, Bulat expertly took advantage of his weapon's reach to keep his attackers at bay in such a way that Mine couldn't fire any blasts at him for fear of hurting of her comrades, and for every try to get closer to him on Leone or Akame's part, they received expertly aimed lunges and slashes directed at their kneecaps. As looks of frustration crossed all three of their faces, Najenda sighed and spoke from behind them.

"He's just one man….you know how he fights, so hurry it up before reinforcements come!"

Charging forward only to get her left leg cut off at the kneecap, Leone fell backwards and was about to get a spear through the face before Akame intervened, deflected Bulat's thrust as Leone replied.

"Knowing how he fights isn't enough if the gap in our powers is this big, boss! You're telling assassins to go up against a battle hardened soldier who's seen much more fighting than we have!"

At hearing this, Bulat grinned as he suddenly pressed his advantage to get in close to Akame and engage her in heated close quarters combat as he spoke.

"That's it! You're outclassed here, kiddies….so go on home before Bro sends you packing!"

As Bulat succeeded in Pushing Akame back, giving her a couple deep gashes as she switched out with a now-healed Leone, he clicked his tongue in annoyance as a blast from pumpkin sliced past him. Stepping back as he saw string flashing across his vision, Bulat stepped back just in time to see a sword made of string slice through the air where he had been standing seconds before as Lubbock stepped up beside Leone and grinned as he spoke.

"Sorry about this, man…..but we need to get to that forge! I hate to pop this so early in a fight, but since I'm going up against Incursio…..I guess I need to. Trump card…Realm cutting thread!"

As a veritable whirlwind of strings lashed out from Lubbock as Leone and Akame charged back at him, Bulat's spear moved like it was possessed by the devil himself, hurricane force winds rolling off the spear from each powerful swing as Bulat went into overdrive, using all of his power to hold off Lubbock's trump card strings, Leone, Akame, and even occasional blasts from pumpkin! Letting loose a powerful roar as multiple cuts began to appear on his armor, Bulat's proud voice boomed across the room.

"Come on, then! Throw everything you have at me, give it your all as you rush to kill me in order to reach that forge you need so badly…..put it all on the line night raid, and in return I'll make sure we'll meet each other in hell tonight!"

As he suddenly went invisible, Najenda's panicked voice was heard.

"Watch out! Keep your guards up-"

Before she could even finish, a massive hole erupted in Leone's chest, another smaller hole opening up in Akame's shoulder as a scream was heard from across the room! As everyone turned to look, panicked cries sprang up from everyone present as they saw Mine pinned to the wall, Bulat's spear sticking out of her upper chest as she let loose pained gurgles and coughed up blood!

"MINE!"

As all the members of night raid called out to their wounded comrade, they heard a loud WHUMP as they turned just in time to see Lubbock slump to the ground unconscious! Realized Bulat was standing between them, unarmed to boot, Leone and Akame gritted their teeth as Leone spoke.

"You bastard…I'll kill you for that!"

Assuming an unarmed combat stance as they moved to block his way to retrieve his spear, Bulat grinned under his helmet as he spoke, small amounts of blood seeping from the cracks and gashes in his armor as he did so.

"You're welcome to try…but I won't go down so easily, even without my spear."

Before they could engage in combat, they all heard Najenda talking to someone as someone new entered the room.

"Susanoo, tend to Mine, now! Hurry, we can still save her, right?"

As the horned man rushed over to the still form of Mine, he easily dug the spear out of her chest and set it down beside him as he ran his hand over her chest, remaining silent for a moment until he spoke almost a minute later.

"It is possible….but not guaranteed. Should I try?"

Najenda nodded as the sounds of combat started up behind her.

"Do it…..we need to hurry and get to the forge before reinforcement show up."

 **Elsewhere**

Rushing through the first floor of the palace, Tatsumi and Wave ran alongside each other as they made their way to the basement, Wave's voice sounding from his mouth with a tinge of annoyance in it.

"If only those guards hadn't been on Night Raid's side….we can't afford these delays!"

Tatsumi nodded as the two reached the basement and headed for the golden door as Thanatos' voice sounded in Tatsumi's head.

 _Be careful, Tatsumi. That fight with the horned man brought up the cost for me to maintain your body to 98%...any more significant hits, and you'll be unable to stay in your current body and die._

Tatsumi only frowned as him and wave entered the throne room to see a man wearing Incursio, covered in blood, standing between Akame and Leone as the forge laid behind him. As Wave glanced at Bro, his eyes widened as he spoke.

"Incursio? Was that man holding all of them back on his own….?"

Tatsumi nodded grimly.

"Yes….he was. Wave, please wait here and hold the door until reinforcements get here from the rest of the Jaegars, ok? This is something I need to do on my own."

As a hurricane of black mist suddenly enveloped Tatsumi and he walked out of it seconds later dressed in Pluto's armor, Wave grinned softly and sighed as he spoke to Tatsumi's back.

"You idiot…..good luck."

As Tatsumi summoned his shields and leapt into the middle of Leone and Akame, his armor still bent and dented from his fight with Susanoo, he called out to Svarthad who had been watching until now as he held Akame and Leone at Arm's reach with his shields.

"Svarthad! Please keep this man safe until I'm done."

Bowing suavely as he drug a blood-covered Bulat back to the forge, Svarthad spoke as he was moving.

"I suppose I can obey you….the emperor trusted you, after all. Not to mention….you're guarding the forge from the likes of those who would misuse it for their own desires."

Not wasting any time, Tatsumi engaged Leone, Akame and a fresh Susanoo in combat, his shields sustaining the brunt of their attacks, barely allowing Tatsumi to move! Suddenly forcing all three of them back with his shields, Tatsumi let his chains attach to his shields as he began to spin them like flails and spoke.

"Guess this is serious enough…..my life may be on the line here. If you guys want this, you'll need to get through me and Pluto!"

Not one person bothering to talk, all three assassins split up and came at Tatsumi in three separate directions, as if to distract his attention as he swung his shields around the courtyard and spoke.

"This takes some serious energy to maintain, so I'll need to end this quickly!"

As his shields began to spin like a tornado had caught a hold of them, Tatsumi managed to keep Leone, Akame and Susanoo from getting into close quarters with him, his shields seemingly everywhere and nowhere at the same time as he slammed them into the ground with the force of bombs, whipped them around to block someone's advance, and brought them back in close to defend himself from anyone who got too close. Feeling his energy about to run out, Tatsumi silently cursed his luck as he continued to push himself, his swings getting slower and slower as Thanatos' voice came into his head.

 _Stop this, boy! This trump card of yours uses too much energy, and it's taking a toll on your body that I can't maintain! 99%...100%! I can't sustain your body any longer!_

As his armor suddenly began to flicker than a bad television channel, his body beginning to break down once more, Tatsumi grunted as the chains that had been holding his shields dissolved in mid-air as his shields flew out of his reach as his attackers closed in on him! Gritting his teeth as he managed to keep his armor from vanishing completely through sheer force of will, Tatsumi spoke as he felt his innards breaking down, the days that Thanatos' had been keeping his dead body alive all hitting him at once as his skin began to turn pale grey.

"Hah…I won't….let it….end here!"

Pausing as they heard a large commotion from the entrance, Akame, Leone and Susanoo turned just in time to see Wave and the rest of the Jaegars racing towards them! As Tatsumi's armor finally vanished completely and his skin began to flake and fall off in clumps, he fell to one knee as the Jaegars forced Night Raid back to the entrance as they circled around them and got to Tatsumi and saw his condition. Their faces all ones of surprise, Kurome's face looked the most stricken as she knelt down beside Tatsumi and glanced down at him as he turned to look at her, falling own onto his back as his eyes began to go cloudy.

"Whoa…dying feels weird. That you, Kurome? I think I need contacts."

Laughing despite the utter despair on her face, Kurome socked Tatsumi on the shoulder as she spoke, clearly holding back her sadness.

"Don't you dare…..go anywhere. Not after what you told me earlier! Not after I finally made a friend!"

Grinning as his lips began to lose their luster and get chapped, Tatsumi shakily placed his hand on Kurome's shoulder as he spoke.

"You…idiot. Who said I was going anywhere? Nah….there's no way…..I'd let…you be all alone. Not after….what I said. Besides…..didn't you….run away…before….replying?"

Her face going red, Kurome looked away for a second before taking a deep breath and suddenly yelling as the rest of the Jaegars took up defensive stances around Tatsumi to keep the encroaching Night Raid assassins back.

"I'm sorry about that…I LOVE YOU, TATSUMI! SO DON'T LEAVE ME NOW!"

His eyes going fully white, Tatsumi coughed and replied in a barely audible voice.

"Whoops…..can't see anymore. Hey now, Kurome….I said I loved you, I meant that…..but isn't…this….a little quick?"

Kurome shook her head vehemently as she replied.

"No, it's not! Ever since me and my sister got split up, I've always tried to distance myself from everyone else, I've always just tried to keep to myself and prove that I was strong by myself! But you….you were different! You talked to me and didn't seem to care how I acted or what my reputation was…..I've never had that before."

His hand brushing her face, Tatsumi spoke as his voice continued to degrade.

"Lungs…won't last…much longer. In any…case, Kurome….I'm glad….I got….to…..meet…you….."

A single tear finally falling from her face and landing on Tatsumi's face, she was about to break down when a pained voice was heard from behind her, making all the Jaegars turn around as Bulat spoke.

"It's not over…not…yet. Svarthad…it's time."

Reaching into his jacket pocket and retrieving a thin, musty piece of paper and handing to Svarthad, Svarthad seemed to look it over for a few seconds before wordlessly glancing down at Bulat and speaking.

"It could work, I suppose…my lord had originally built it for situations like this, I think. Are you sure?"

Bulat coughed and nodded.

"Yeah. Take….Incursio….Save…Tatsumi. Please…use mine and his Teigu to save his life."

Glancing at the paper once more, Svarthad nodded quietly as he responded.

"Yes…Thanatos could fulfill the medical role I think, if it kept Tatsumi's body together after death for days. If you relinquish control of your Teigu to me, I suppose I can do this for you."

Shakily raising a sword in his hand which Svarthad took, Bulat turned to Kurome and spoke.

"Don't…..despair. He….can be saved."

Her eyes going wide, Kurome glanced up at Svarthad as turned to Esdeath and spoke.

"I surmise you are the boys commanding officer, so I must ask the question my lord commanded me to when I was ordered to begin construction of this particular item. Are you objected to this idea?"

Handing Esdeath the paper, she looked it over and seemed to think for a moment before replying with a shake of her head.

"I see no problems with this….but I can't quite make sense of those drawings. In any case, I suppose it is fine."

Nodding elegantly, Svarthad walked over to Tatsumi's body and knelt down, placing his hand on Tatsumi's still chest as he was silent for a moment, then suddenly thrust his hand into Tatsumi's chest! Drawing his hand out seconds later holding two spheres, one black and one white, Svarthad nodded happily as he took all three Teigu over to the forge and spoke.

"He is fading quickly, but we can save him if we act quickly, I think. Just put these here…."

Placing the two spheres and Incursio's keyblade into a hidden slot in the forge and pulling a lever, Svarthad took a few steps back and grinned.

"I admit….I have always wished to make this particular Teigu, myself….it sounds…..interesting. In any case, please step back, everyone."

As they all did so, Night Raid's gazes also locked on the forge, everyone gasped as the room itself seemed to dim, the forge suddenly churning into overdrive as Svarthad howled with glee and spoke.

"It rises! Like a phoenix it shall it rise from the ashes of the Teigu used to build it, and stand taller than any other Teigu made so far, it's power unmatched and mighty as a god! Rise…"

Pausing as the forge began to make even more noise as the room went pitch dark, Svarthad continued as all eyes were locked on the forge.

"….Jupiter, the living tomb!"

Pausing for a moment, Svarthad whispered something under his breath in the language of the first days of the empire.

" _Et sic ipse mundus ardebit….._ "

Not long afterwards, the lights in the room came back on, with everyone in the room including Svarthad letting out an awed gasp as they saw what was standing before them! Standing in front of the smoking forge was a gargantuan suit of what looked like powered-battle armor of the future. Standing almost thirteen feet tall, Jupiter was made of sleek, nightmare black armor all over, its' human shape clearly an indicator that a human was supposed to go inside of it as Svarthad ran his hand along it and spoke.

"I can feel complex machinery ticking away in here…..I think some of the forge was used to make this…! Amazing….so tall, so thick! Here, bring Tatsumi over here!"

As Kurome and Svarthad carried Tatsumi around behind the gargantuan suit of power armor Jupiter had turned out to be, the entire suit of armor actually opened up as they arrived behind it! Fitting Tatsumi's limp body into the huge suit of power armor, Jupiter closed up once more as a mechanical voice came from the helmet as the helmet's 'eyes' glowed blood red.

" _ **Automated mechanical powered battle armor life-casket known as 'Jupiter' coming online…**_ "

As everyone's eyes went wide as the armor spoke, it continued!

" _ **Main drivers coming online…..online. Life-support drivers…functional. Movement drivers…online. Initiating deep-scan of occupant's health and checking for compatibility…..**_ "

As the machine went silent for a moment, a loud alarm came from the machine as it spoke once more.

" _ **User has been deemed worthy of wielding Jupiter…..Warning! Warning! Occupant nearing point of no return! Initiate last resort protocol codenamed 'Seal the casket'! Locking down Jupiter armor system to ensure survival of occupant at all costs…**_ "

As the armor stopped speaking, a loud hiss of air was heard as steam shot from various points in Jupiter's seams.

" _ **Confirmed…the casket has been sealed, and the occupant is returning to acceptable levels. Please do not remove occupant at any time to ensure survival. Returning control of Jupiter to occupant…..**_ "

As the armor went silent for a while, even Night Raid seemed Hesitant to make a move as the Jaegars glanced back at the armor as Kurome hesitantly put her hand on Jupiter's armor and spoke.

"Tatsumi….? You in there…?"

After a long silence, the arms of Jupiter twitched slightly as the suit spoke once more in a familiar, yet slightly mechanized voice.

" _ **Ku-…rome?**_ "

Upon hearing Tatsumi's voice from the armor, Esdeath pushed Kurome aside and rapped on Jupiter's chestplate.

"Tatsumi?! Are you able to move?"

Strangely, Tatsumi gave no reply as Jupiter's armored helmet turned slowly, and without sound, to stare at Bulat's body as he glanced up at Jupiter and grinned.

"Hey….you look good, Tatsumi…..Good. you sur….vived."

As Jupiter's armored fist suddenly clenched, its' helmet suddenly turned back to Esdeath as Tatsumi spoke from within.

" _ **Save him. Please, don't let him die.**_ "

Esdeath glanced over at Bulat's now-motionless corpse and snorted as she replied with disdain in her voice.

"He was weak….I see no reason to-URGH!"

Everyone letting loose loud gasps, they watched as Tatsumi suddenly wrapped his massive, armored fist around Esdeath's throat, pulling her close to his metal helmet as he spoke from within!

" _ **You will save him…..you will do it. Or…..I will use this Teigu to crush your windpipe like paper."**_

As he lifted her almost five feet into the air, her legs kicking with no real purpose as she began to struggle for breath, she slammed ice spikes into Tatsumi's helmet but found them to have no effect as Tatsumi tightened his grip and spoke once more.

" _ **Choose. Or I crush your windpipe! I won't let him die for saving me like this! I WONT ALLOW IT!"**_

Clearly valuing her life over her pride, Esdeath choked out a few words as Tatsumi's grip tightened.

"Fi…ne! Let…..me…..go!"

Letting Esdeath fall to the ground, Esdeath turned to Stylish, who was standing behind Jupiter running his hands along the metal, and spoke with extreme annoyance in her voice.

"STYLISH! Can you fix this damned spearman?"

Clearly sad to be pulled away from looking at Jupiter, Stylish ran his hands over Bulat's body and frowned as he turned to Tatsumi and spoke.

"Maybe…if I could get him back to my lab, I could probably save him…..maybe. I can't promise anything, though. I might have to implant some 'enhancements' in him."

Not moving for a second, Tatsumi spoke a few seconds later.

" _ **As long as Bro doesn't die…..just save him, please."**_

Stylish gently patted Jupiter as he nodded.

"I shall do my best. However, to reach my laboratory…we must get through Night Raid."

Pausing for a moment and glancing out at Night Raid, who was still waiting just beyond the Jaegar's defenses, Tatsumi spoke from within Jupiter, with just the faintest hint of pleasure in his voice.

" _ **I see."**_

Taking a few thunderous steps forward, rattling the ground with each step, Tatsumi walked past the Jaegar's on guard and clenched his right armored fist as he spoke.

" _ **Then I shall break all of them with the power of Jupiter. I won't forgive them for what they did to Bro!**_ "

 **Guys, I'm really sorry…..but honestly, the poll only made things harder to decide Tatsumi's romance option. I got so many reviews that asked me for both, and both sides made good arguments, but in the end I decided to go with Kurome. Please don't hate your writer. I guess I wanted to try something 've never written about, and since there's a lot more EsdeathXTatsumi than TatsumiXKurome, I finally decided to make his romantic partner Kurome. Sorry again, I feel really about this. I promise I'll find some way to make it up to you guys, so don't just be like 'fuck this guy, he chose KUROME! I'm done with this story!' please don't do that. Anyway, to see what the armor looks like please google 'Warhammer 40k legion of the damned' and go to google images. It looks like that armor, minus the flames and shit. Anyway, thanks for reading and I loved writing this chapter so much, especially when I got write about Jupiter! (I'm a sucker for writing about power armor) Man, did this chapter get long, though. With Sheele by the jaws of Coro, and Mine potentially dead at the hands of Bulat, will Bulat be able to pull through? Let's find out next time!**


	10. Chapter 10: The next step

**Chapter 10: The next step**

Watching as Tatsumi stood just beyond the line of Jaegers who had been holding Night Raid back, Svarthad was rubbing his chin stubble and grinning to himself when he felt a tug on his suit sleeve. Turning to his left to see who was doing this, he found himself looking at Kurome as she spoke to him, a bag of something in her hand and a katana in the other.

"So….what is that thing? It looks so much more advanced than anything I've ever seen before…..did it talk?"

Svarthad rubbed his chin some more before replying as he smoothed the creases out of his suit.

"Hrm? Ah, Jupiter! Yes, Yes…well you see, you remember how I created it from combining Pluto, Incursio, and Thanatos, right?"

As Kurome nodded her head, Svarthad continued.

"Yes, well…it has long been an established fact that no mortal being, no matter how strong in body or spirit, can ever be strong enough to wield two Teigu simultaneously. Tatsumi however, was an exception since his Teigu was only one to begin with, and got separated by the machinations of mankind. To wield the powers of multiple Teigu at once….such a thing cannot be done, yes?"

Once again, Kurome nodded and spoke.

"Yea….I heard one guy tried once a long time ago, and his mind broke."

Frowning as if recalling an unpleasant memory, Svarthad nodded absentmindedly as he continued.

"Ah, him…..actually, he simply burst into flames and died on the street, but that isn't the point. The point is, the mortal mind and body cannot handle the powers of two danger beasts of such power at once, much less three of them. The first emperor knew this when he was designing Jupiter, and he accounted for one crucial missing element that would provide the 'Glue' of Jupiter."

Raising her eyebrow, Kurome waited for Svarthad to continue.

"But first, let me ask you a question. What, in your opinion, would have come out if we simply had tossed those three Teigu into the forge without adding some sort of extra ingredient, knowing no human can handle two Teigu, let alone three?"

Her eyebrows furrowing, Kurome seemed to think for a while before giving her reply, a look of realization crossing her face.

"A suit of armor or the like, so powerful, so strong and so heavy no one could ever wear it…..not even Tatsumi…!"

Snapping his fingers, Svarthad grinned.

"And give the young lady a prize! Aha, yes…..you are correct. If we had simply tossed those three Teigu into the forge willy-nilly….we would have gotten the most powerful Teigu ever known to the world, yes…but no one could use it. So instead, the First emperor decided to use the one thing that could take some of the burden off of the wielder…."

Grabbing part of the now-damaged forge in his hand, Svarthad continued as he gestured to the golden sphere.

"….machinery, also known as the power of Technology! With the power contained within this hallowed forge which is still more advanced than any technology in the current time by roughly a hundred years, we add the element of _machine support_ to Jupiter's design. Now that we have a system of pulleys, levers, cogs, gears, and the like to support the wielder and take some of the burden off of his or her mind and body so that they may wield it, Jupiter now becomes an attainable goal."

Pausing for a moment to see if Kurome had any questions, Svarthad continued when he saw she didn't.

"In his designs, the first emperor made detailed plans of how to forge Jupiter, and how it would be created. Taking the Invisibility, Adaptability and armor of Incursio to give it its' adaptability functionality and provide the base of its armor, taking Pluto's sheer defensive power, combined with the massive intelligence of the danger beast which still slumbered inside of it gave Jupiter the rest of its armor and the intelligence necessary to provide a rudimentary onboard intelligence of sorts, to control and maintain the complex machinery inside of Jupiter. Lastly, the addition of Thanatos, with its power over death included with its attack power and Intelligence, this allowed Jupiter to have an onboard healing function that utilized Thanatos' power to keep Tatsumi alive for so long, and used the attack power to give the suit some small amount of attack power while the intelligence Thanatos had went to bettering the onboard intelligence. But perhaps most importantly….we added part of the forge itself so as to give Jupiter an aspect of _machine support_ _,_ as I have detailed above."

Taking a deep breath after such a long explanation, Svarthad smiled as him and Kurome turned to Tatsumi's gargantuan form as Kurome spoke.

"Oh. Still…..it still seems like it doesn't belong here…it's so advanced."

Svarthad nodded as he spoke once more, his voice quiet.

"Few things make sense when it comes to the Teigu, my dear…..even my life, being an organic Teigu, is sadly shrouded in mystery. I highly doubt we will ever figure out how the first emperor ever made us, so the great mystery that is the Teigu will, most likely….remain a mystery forever. When it comes to Jupiter….perhaps we simply do not understand the nature of Teigu….who can say?"

Neither of them saw a need to speak as they watched Tatsumi get to work attacking night raid.

 **A few minutes before**

As he stepped forward beyond the line made up of Run, Wave, and Bols who had been keeping Night Raid back, Tatsumi stopped walking just beyond them and looked through the inside of his helmet's HUD as he spoke inside of Jupiter.

"Jupiter…..does this armor have any weapons? Can I use Incursio's spear or Pluto's shields?"

The mechanical voice chirped back a response in his ear.

 _ **All components of the three Teigu used to make this unit were broken down and used for the building process…but Jupiter does have a minimal onboard weapons suite.**_

Grinning his pale, cracked lips as he glanced at the schematics that showed up on his HUD, Tatsumi listened as the machine spoke again.

 _ **Jupiter comes equipped with two 'Giga-buster' wrist mounted blades, both approximately three feet long by two feet wide, and both sharp enough to cut through iron.**_

Tatsumi licked his lips as he looked over the schematics for the seemingly massive wrist blades and replied.

"Good….let's try them out."

As Kurome watched from behind as giant wrist blades suddenly shot from Jupiter's wrists with a loud WHUMP, she wiped her eyes as she murmured to herself.

"Tatsumi….."

Striding forward slowly and deliberately, the ground rattling with every step he took, Tatsumi's mechanical voice boomed from Jupiter and out over the room as he ran his two wrist blades along each other, creating a shower of sparks that danced around him as he spoke.

" **Now…..I'm going to make each and every one of you feel the pain you inflicted upon Bro a hundred, no, a thousand times over!"**

As night raid began to collectively retreat as this new behemoth strode towards them, Susanoo gently handed a barely breathing Mine to Najenda and turned to her to speak as he readied his staff.

"I shall hold him here….everyone else, escape while you can."

Najenda shook her head hastily as Tatsumi's booming footsteps got closer and closer, his mechanical voice booming over the room once more as he neared them, never increasing or decreasing his walking speed as he spoke.

" **You can't run from me…"**

As the other members began to make for the door, Najenda hesitated a second before speaking.

"….Fine. I doubt anyone else would stand a chance against that damn giant….."

Nodding as the blades of his staff began to spin and whir, Susanoo patted Najenda's shoulder as he moved towards Tatsumi.

"Yes, I think you are right. However, me and this boy still have unfinished business…."

Clenching her metal fist, Najenda spoke once more before leaving through the golden door.

"Susanoo…..Magatama Manifestation! …..Give him hell!"

Grinning as his hair went white and armor plates sprang up all over his body, Susanoo moved quickly to block Tatsumi's overhead strike with his wrist blades directed towards a retreating Najenda, his feet digging into the dirt as he looked up at Tatsumi's metal helmet and spoke.

"Tatsumi, was it? Shall we continue where we left off? Or perhaps did you lose your honor when you got that metal suit?"

A snort escaping Jupiter's helmet, Tatsumi's metal voice was heard once more, tinged with annoyance as he spoke and readied his wrist blades.

" **Move, Susanoo…..I have business with Night Raid!** "

Once more blocking Tatsumi's forward movement as he attempted to attack Night Raid as they retreated, Susanoo looked strangely sad as he spoke.

"Sadly, I cannot allow this. I understand you wish to avenge your comrade…but right now, your fight is with me."

Seeming to finally understand as the last of Night Raid's assassins left the room, Tatsumi clicked his tongue in annoyance inside of his armor as he spoke.

" **Fine…let's finish what we started then, shall we?"**

Grinning ear to ear, Susanoo nodded.

"With Pleasure, Tatsumi. May the better warrior win!"

Letting out a mechanical roar, Tatsumi brought his gargantuan wrist blades down with all his might as Susanoo nimbly bolted out of the way, a loud BOOM sounding around the room as a huge plume of dirt shot into the air where Tatsumi had struck the ground. Retrieving his blades from the ground just in time to block another of Susanoo's attacks, the two seemed on equal footing for a while before Susanoo spoke, calling out to his power still slumbering within himself.

"Yasakani no Magatama!"

As his movements got faster and faster, Tatsumi grunted in annoyance as Susanoo's strikes bounced harmlessly off his armor.

"Jupiter, if I had to guess, you aren't really oriented for combat, are you?"

Jupiter chirped back a reply inside of Tatsumi's helmet as he continued to try to match Susanoo blow for blow.

" **Affirmative. Jupiter's main function is to keep its wielder safe and secure…attack power is secondary to this, according to the design laid out by the first emperor."**

Sighing in frustration as his Susanoo continued to match his powerful strikes expertly, Tatsumi spoke once more to Jupiter inside of his helmet.

"Fine….then I guess I have a few ideas….Jupiter, how high can this you jump?"

Jupiter was silent for a moment as complex calculations scrolled across Tatsumi's screen before it spoke.

" **Between Fifty and Seventy Five feet. The Height is dependent on the user."**

Grinning under his helmet, Tatsumi nodded and spoke.

"Good."

Blocking yet another of Susanoo's expert strikes with the flat of his massive wrist blades, Tatsumi listened as Susanoo spoke.

"That armor seems to be beyond what my strength will allow me to damage…..but you are slower than before, Tatsumi!"

Grinning under his helmet as he crouched down and diverted all of the power remaining inside of his feeble, frail body and Jupiter's mechanics into his armored legs, Tatsumi spoke.

" **That may be, Susanoo….but in exchange for a loss of speed…"**

As he suddenly launched himself almost sixty feet into the air, his helmet banging against the ceiling, Tatsumi grinned as Jupiter began to fall to earth, A hundred-ton meteor that was approaching terminal velocity!

"… **I GAINED OVERWHELMING POWER! NOW, DROP-STRIKE OF OLYMPUS!"**

As he impacted with the ground, an ear-splitting sonic boom pealed over the room as even the Jaegars across the room were bowled, a gargantuan plume of dirt shooting over the room like an atomic bomb had gone off! As the dust swept over the room and clouded it, obscuring everyone's vision, Tatsumi's mechanical voice was heard from within the dust cloud, seemingly coming from everywhere at once as Susanoo attempted to find him.

" **If Bro dies…I swear to you, Susanoo…I'll hunt down Night Raid and butcher them all….If I have to watch as Bro dies in front of my eyes….."**

Narrowing his eyes as he glanced around the dust cloud, Susanoo suddenly whirled around and lunged his staff to where he heard Tatsumi approaching from, only to watch as Tatsumi's huge wrist blade cut right through his staff, cutting it to shreds and entering his chest as Tatsumi lifted him up into the air!

"… **..I'll mount their damned heads on my armor."**

Grinning as he glanced down at the massive blade that was sticking out of his chest, Susanoo spoke as Tatsumi cocked back his other armored hand for a finishing blow.

"You missed my core."

Pausing for a moment, Tatsumi's fist shot forward and was about to obliterate Susanoo's core when a horrendous grinding sound was heard coming from Tatsumi's armor as his arm ground to a halt, thin trails of smoke coming from his armor! Inside of his armor, Tatsumi angrily spoke to Jupiter.

"Damn it Jupiter, what's going on?"

There was a pause before it replied.

" **Unknown. Losin-….ntrol…."**

As he felt the presence of the onboard intelligence of Jupiter recede, Tatsumi flinched as he heard a bestial roar come from all around him, as if a deadly beast had worked its way inside of the armor! As everyone watched from the outside as Jupiter continued to be frozen in place, they also flinched as a huge and bestial roar echoed out from Jupiter! As everyone listened, Stylish and Kurome turned to Bulat as he coughed and managed to speak, his voice full of confusion.

"Ty….rant?"

His eyes going wide, Stylish turned back to Jupiter and covered his mouth as he realized what might be going on.

"No….was that….?"

As if to answer his claims, a gargantuan danger beast seemed to materialize from Jupiter as it rose into the sky above it, its fangs bloody and its four eyes gleaming blood red as it looked down at Susanoo and bellowed in anger! Looking on as Tyrant continued to bellow in anger as it stared at Susanoo, Stylish tapped his chin as he spoke to himself.

"Tyrant….even when used to build Jupiter, its life force still allows it to live on….! Is it really possibly for Tyrant to adapt to Jupiter, of all things?"

Finally making a move, Tyrant slipped its massive claws around Jupiter as its form began to waver and billow, swirling into a tornado as Tyrant's entire body seemed to be wrapping around Jupiter's armored form. From across the room, Bro coughed up flecks of blood and grinned as he watched Tyrant swirl around Jupiter.

"Hah….guess…it took…to Tatsumi. I guess it…can even….adapt to that."

Stylish and the rest of the Jaegers could only watch on in amazement as Tyrant's form seemed to be merging with that of Jupiter's, Tyrant's armor and cape that made up its signature form beginning to morph to wrap around Jupiter's titanic form while simultaneously growing demonic black spikes all over that resembled Pluto, and somehow a skull mask that looked almost Thanatos' mask appeared over its face! Once again rubbing his chin, Stylish spoke in amazement, stunned beyond all belief.

"It's….absorbing the characteristics of the two other Teigu that make up Jupiter…? Is that…possible? Can Tyrant really adapt to anything, like the stories say?"

But suddenly, something strange no one had predicted began to happen. Just as it seemed it would merge flawlessly into Jupiter, Tyrant's now hybrid form seemed to pause for a moment before snatching a still-trapped Susanoo up in its claws and held it up before its mask as a low, rumbling sound came from its mask as Susanoo seemed to twist and struggle before speaking.

"Urgh….trying to…absorb me…..are you? I didn't think you could do that, Tyrant!"

Flinching as his form began to waver like he was made of mist, Susanoo seemed to be listening to something before replying with a pained face.

"So that's…..what's happening."

Strangely, as Susanoo's form began to waver, Tyrant's chest somehow swung open like a door to reveal a glowing, gold sphere that spun around as a strange Bestial-mechanical voice emanated from it, the voice sounding like it had just learned to speak, like that of a child.

" **Must….keep….user…..alive.** "

And then, as Susanoo's form suddenly solidified back into his normal body, everyone paused for a full second, nothing happening, before Tyrant suddenly plunged its entire left hand into Susanoo's chest! His mouth going wide, Susanoo barely managed to speak a few pained words.

"What…? Stop….!"

As a geyser of blood erupted from Susanoo's chest as Tyrant suddenly retracted its hand, everyone realized Tyrant was holding Susanoo's core in its massive hands as it seemed to hold it up to its eyes and look at it! As it tossed Susanoo aside like yesterday's garbage, Tyrant bellowed a ferocious roar once more before its form swirled around and flawlessly re-merged with Jupiter, leaving no trace it had ever appeared for a few seconds until intricate designs began to appear on the outside of the armor. As a pair of crossed spear in front of a massive pair of shields design appeared on each of its shoulders, a design that resembled Tyrant's face enwreathed in wings appeared on that massive chest plate of Jupiter as it moved again, its arm falling to its side then falling to its knees as the mechanical voice once more came from the armor.

" **Error. Error. Error. Catastrophic failure of all systems! User's vital signs erratic, with no signs of stabilizing! In order to preserve integrity of user and all systems, Initiating last resort protocol R-24, 'Ragnarok'."**

Once more rising to its feet, steam suddenly shot from Jupiter's armor as its eyes suddenly stopped glowing and it stopped moving, the mechanical voice speaking once more.

"' **Ragnarok' protocol in effect. Initiating full lockdown of all systems until user has stabilized…..** "

As the armor ceased all signs of life, it was a full second before anyone got the nerve to break the silence. In the end, it was Kurome who spoke.

"What….happened?"

Stylish rubbed his chin and seemed to be theorizing as he spoke up.

"I think something happened that the armor didn't expect….I don't think that little stunt Tyrant pulled was something Jupiter hadn't planned for…no, I think that was Tyrant's unconquerable desire to live that let it come back and adapt to its current conditions. Although….im not sure what it did to that organic Teigu over there….I think I saw it rip out its core, strangely."

Snapping his fingers, Stylish turned to Esdeath and spoke, his voice suddenly full of worry.

"Esdeath-sama…..if we are done appreciating that young boy's new power, we need to return to our base as fast as possible if we are to restore this spearman to life!"

Waving her hand, Esdeath began making her way to the door as she replied.

"Do what you wish, Stylish. If you wish to honor that agreement, then fine. But I see no reason to honor that agreement when Tatsumi there isn't coherent enough to realize it."

As the rest of the Jaegars began to follow Esdeath, Esdeath approached Jupiter's still form and ran her hand over the cool black metal before turning to Seiryuu and speaking.

"Seiryuu….can Koro get Tatsumi and Jupiter back to headquarters?"

Hopping off Koro and resting her metal hand on Jupiter's chest, Seiryuu frowned uneasily for a moment before saluting smartly.

"He can try!"

Esdeath nodded in satisfaction as she began to head for the door.

"Good….then please, get him to HQ as soon as you can….don't wait up for anyone. We can't afford to lose him now….we need that overwhelming power of his."

As Stylish and Kurome handed an injured Bro to Run, who took the body into his arms and shot off towards HQ, Seiryuu turned to Koro and barked an order.

"Okay, Koro! This thing is going to be heavy, so you'll probably need to go berserker for this!"

Barking as it morphed into its 'Berserker' form, Koro grew arms and began to attempt to lift up Jupiter. Thankfully, Koro was barely able to carry the behemoth that was Jupiter as all the Jaegars returned to HQ…but Kurome seemed to be unable to take her eyes off of Jupiter as she whispered to herself.

" _Please…be okay, Tatsumi."_

 **A few hours later, Jaegar HQ**

As Koro set Jupiter down in the main Jaegar meeting hall, Esdeath nodded in satisfaction as she addressed everyone.

"Okay, we managed to fend off Night Raid this time thanks to Tatsumi here, but we can't afford to Relax! They're injured and on the run, so we need to use this opportunity to our advantage!"

Suddenly turning to Wave and Run, Esdeath spoke.

"You two…go ahead and try to follow Night Raid's trail. If you find their Hideout, DO NOT engage them alone, understand? You get back here ASAP and notify us!"

Nodding, Wave and Run bolted out of the room to carry out their mission as Esdeath continued.

"As to everyone else…..that's all. We've earned our rest, but we'll pick up the hunt tomorrow morning."

As everyone sauntered off to their rooms, Kurome took one more glance at the frozen form of Jupiter sighing and making her way to her room…..

 **Elsewhere in Jaegar HQ**

As Doctor Stylish had one of his many, many servants lay the bloodied spearman's body on the operating table in his lab, he rubbed his hands together with glee as he spoke to himself.

"Such a fine specimen….! Were it anyone else, I might simply make them one my oh so _stylish_ minions, but…."

Stylish frowned as he rubbed his hands together, now wearing his Teigu Perfector as one of his enhanced minions brought a cart filled with medical supplies over beside him. As he took the scalpel and twirled it in his hands, he continued to speak happily to himself.

"….but I'm afraid that Tatsumi might Stylishly pound me into paste if I were to alter his beloved friend here, so…..I suppose this time I can manage to hold myself back, just this once."

His words falling silent as he began to slide his scalpel along Bro's bloody chest, Stylish went to work all the precision of a practiced medical man, all the weirdness that seemed to make up his entire being, and of course, as stylishly as possible as his scalpel danced across the flesh as if his hands were guided by a higher power! Chuckling as if he had amused himself, Stylish continued his work on the body of the man before him effortlessly and gracefully as his many servants watched motionlessly from across the room, some of them blind and some of them deaf and missing limbs, but all of them watching nonetheless as Stylish got lost in his own thoughts as he worked.

 _Perhaps I should make note of this….I've always took such pride in my skills in enhancing, modifying and plain dissecting human bodies in an attempt to….what? Ah, after all these years of so stylishly dissecting so many people, I guess I may have lost track of what I was aiming for._

His hands momentarily stopping, Stylish shrugged effortlessly as he returned to his thoughts and work.

 _I suppose that point is moot now, anyway. If I end up remembering something about it then all the better, but…..what matters right now is the man before me! And what a man he is…._

Stylish shook his head as he continued.

 _No, not the time for that. My hands are those of god himself, perfector! There is no ailment, no malady, no sickness I cannot cure short of death itself! Oh, but while I'm thinking of it…_

Calling over one of his minions who had a massive nose, Stylish spoke as he continued to work.

"Follow Night Raid's scent. If you find their hideout, then report back to me, understand? Now go!"

As the hideous human scurried off, Stylish paused for a moment to wipe the sweat from his brow as he went back to his work on Bulat's body.

 _Being so Stylish is so tiring._

 **Night Raid HQ**

As everyone gathered in Night Raid's main hall, Najenda frowned as she sat in her chair, silent and unmoving as a rock until she spoke some time later, her voice serious.

"Mine is…hanging in there. We lost Sheele, but managed to recover Extase…..and not to mention it, we lost Susan-"

Before she could even finish, the door at the far end of the room opened up suddenly, drawing everyone's attention as a certain man with horns on his head walked into the room, blood stains on his chest and clothes! As everyone's eyes went wide and they rushed over to him, Susanoo glanced around, his face as emotionless and unmoving as a rock as he stared at Akame for a long time with the strangest look on his face before speaking suddenly.

"Your hair is uneven. Here, let me fix that."

As he silently fixed Akame's hair to be perfectly net and symmetrical, he nodded happily to himself as he straightened her shirt then turned to Lubbock and assessed him.

"Sloppy. Your coat is off by two degrees."

As he fixed Lubbock's coat and adjusted the buttons on it, Susanoo turned and stared at everyone, blinking twice as he saw tears streaming down their faces!

"Hrm? Your faces are leaking."

Suddenly grunting as he felt Lubbock slap him on the back, Susanoo turned to the boy in green as he grinned and spoke.

"You idiot! We thought you were dead!"

Glancing down at his blood-stained chest, Susanoo nodded as he spoke with a deadpan voice.

"My apologies. It seems that whatever that danger beast did to my chest…I thought it had ripped out my core, but somehow it seems I remain intact."

As Najenda grinned and rose from her chair at the far side of the room, she began to speak as she walked over to Susanoo.

"Are you up to fighting strength, Susanoo? Any significant damage?"

Susanoo shook his head and swung his staff around effortlessly, cracking a small grin as he spoke.

"Nothing of the sort. I am ready and willing to return to duty. More to the point….were there not two brothers we had recruited before we left?"

Najenda frowned as she nodded.

"Yes, there were…..and I told them they needed to come with us before we left, but the older one told me 'their time to fight had not yet come'. I'd originally chalked it up to their foreign origins, but I guess they tricked us….!"

Clearing her throat, Leone piped up and interrupted the silence that had descended upon the room like a blanket.

"Putting that aside…what about Mine? She's in bad shape after Bro- I mean…. Bulat, went and put his spear through her….."

Strangely, it was Chelsea who spoke up from across the room, a lollipop still in her mouth as she leaned out from the wall and stood up straight as she spoke.

"Unless Susanoo here is part doctor, we're going to need better help if we want to ever improve her condition."

Susanoo, his face still as readable as a stone wall, shook his head and interrupted.

"Sadly, I am not part doctor. I am one hundred percent Organic Teigu."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Chelsea shook her head and rubbed the bridge of her nose as she continued.

"Aaaaanyway, I guess I'm saying if we really need to we're going to need some sort doctor from the city, or somewhere else, if Mine's ever going to get better."

Rubbing her chin thoughtfully, Najenda nodded slowly and spoke.

"Yes, I'm afraid you're right…..but I'm not sure if we should simply kidnap the first doctor we find in the capital….that's the reason Bulat left us in the first place."

As silence once more descended upon the room, Lubbock rubbed his matted green hair and spoke, his voice full of hesitation as he did so.

"Uh…..wouldn't the main camp of the revolution have some doctors or something? I guess it's a ways away from here, but…"

Najenda made no reply, she only seemed to fall deeper into thought as she returned to her seat at the far side of the room. After she seemed to think for the better part of five minutes, she seemed about to speak when the door crashed open once more as a man in ragged clothes fell inside! As everyone rushed over to him, Najenda knelt down beside him as the man extended a shaky, bloody hand clutching a piece of paper as he spoke through coughs.

"New….orders…..from HQ. Got attacked….on the way….."

As the man collapsed over dead, Najenda sighed and closed the man's eyes, opening the crinkled piece of paper and scanning it intently with her eyes for some time until she seemed to freeze. After a short while, Leone gently tapped her on the shoulder and knelt down beside her as she spoke.

"Uh, boss…? You okay?"

Suddenly standing up, Najenda once more closed her fist around the piece of paper and turned back to face everyone as she spoke with fire in her eyes.

"Saving Mine might be easier than we think…."

Looking mildly interesting, Chelsea spoke up from across the room.

"Oh? And how's that?"

Najenda grinned as she clenched her metal fist in the air and spoke, her face and body barely concealing her glee.

"This letter…..We have new orders, everyone!"

 **Later that night, Jaegar HQ**

As the clock struck midnight, Kurome found herself sitting in the main meeting hall of the Jaegars, sitting on the cold marble floor with her arms wrapped around her legs as she stared at Jupiter's motionless form.

"What's happening to you in there, Tatsumi…?

 **Inside of Jupiter**

 _Tatsumi was dreaming again…..but this time was much, much different than all the other times he had dreams. As he felt himself arriving at some sort of endless plain, grass blowing in some invisible breeze, Tatsumi scratched his head and sighed._

" _What's this? The last thing I remember is lifting Susanoo up into the air on my wrist blade…"_

 _As if appearing from nowhere, Tyrant swirled into Existence before Tatsumi, his form reminding him of Pluto and Thanatos as it held stared down at him with beady red eyes. Coughing, Tatsumi spoke._

" _Is that Tyrant? From Bro's Incursio? Didn't you get used to make Jupiter?"_

 _As he finished speaking, a keyblade manifested right before him, the blade stuck deep into the ground Incursio rumbled angrily. Hesitatingly picking up the keyblade, Tatsumi looked down at it before realizing what he was holding._

" _This is….your keyblade, Incursio! Oh…..Oh! Since you don't have a physical armor form anymore, you need me to manifest you in my dreams…..right?"_

 _Sadly, Incursio did not reply._

" _Yeah, I guess you can't talk. I forgot normal Teigu can't do that."_

 _His hand gripping the keyblade Tighter, he was about to attempt to summon Incursio when a strange Bestial-Mechanical voice boomed over the plains._

" _ **Beware…..painful…beyond…imagination."**_

 _Glancing down at the Keyblade, Tatsumi grinned as he replied._

" _Of course it will be! But if Bro could do this…."_

 _Stabbing the blade into the ground, Tatsumi let out the roar he had Bro say countless times, a roar that made his bones rattle and shake with excitement and pain as he felt energy surging through them._

" _I CAN TO! INCURSIOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

 _As fire swirled into existence around him like a tornado from hell, Tatsumi saw Incursio vanish from in front of him and manifest behind him! Feeling the beast beginning to wrap around his body as Tatsumi felt his body creaking in pain, Tatsumi pushed on as he continued to pour his heart and soul into the blade in his hands, knowing Bro had done this before him, determined to live up to Bro's expectations._

" _I WON'T FAIL YOU, BRO!"_

 _As he felt blood erupt from his body in tiny geysers as Incursio finally forced its way onto his body, Tatsumi finally felt the armor wrap around him as he spoke, glancing down at his new-armored form._

" _So….i'm using incursion now? But this is a dream, so…what?"_

 _Feeling a strange sense of satisfaction radiating from his armor, Tatsumi frowned as he removed his helmet and rubbed his chin and tried to think of what was going on._

" _Why are you doing this in my head, Incursio? It doesn't make any sense…."_

 _As he continued to think, he suddenly felt his armor begin to contract around him tighter, and Tatsumi realized Tyrant wasn't done yet!_

" _Shit, that hurts! Is this….a part of using you too..?"_

 _But as his armor suddenly vanished as it melted back into his skin, Tatsumi felt pain beyond anything he had ever felt before as he heard Jupiter's mechanical voice speaking from somewhere around him._

" _ **User vitals spiking…..emergence of foreign object detected…."**_

 _Foreign object?_

 _Before Tatsumi could even begin to wonder what that meant, he felt a sharp, fiery pain in his chest as he felt a round object emerging from his skin! Gripping his chest as the pain intensified, Tatsumi felt himself slipping into unconsciousness….._

 **Outside of Jupiter's armor, Main Jaegar Meeting hall**

As Kurome sighed and continued to watch the motionless Jupiter, she rested her head on her knees as she thought about how she had confessed to Tatsumi as he had been dying. Her face suddenly going red, she buried her face even further into her knees as she mumbled to herself.

"So embarrassing…"

But strangely, Kurome felt a sense of contentment well up inside of her when she thought of how Tatsumi had returned her words, like no one had ever said to her before…and she felt happy. Happier than she had felt in a long time. Just as she was deep in her own thoughts of romance, she was startled out of her thoughts when she heard that same mechanical voice suddenly come from Jupiter, making her yelp as it spoke.

" **Ragnarok Protocol disengaging…User returning to nominal levels…."**

Unburying her head from her knees, Kurome glanced up just in time to see Jupiter's massive metal helmet turn slowly as it turned slowly to stare at her, its eyes once more glowing a gentle red color. As silence descended upon the room for a second, a confused voice came from the armor a half-minute later.

" **Kurome…? Wha….?** "

Barely able to contain her happiness, Kurome smiled as she replied, her eyes watery.

"You idiot…going and shutting down on us like that…."

Now turning to face her, Jupiter turned and stared at her as Tatsumi fell silent for a while before speaking.

" **Shut down? Oh…..that thing Incursio did….."**

Struggling to recall what had happened, Tatsumi glanced around the room before continuing to talk from inside Jupiter.

" **How did I get back here? More importantly…..who was strong enough to carry me?"**

Rising from where she had been sitting, Kurome walked over to Jupiter and glanced up into its metal helmet, desperately hoping to get a glimpse inside to see Tatsumi as she spoke.

"It was Koro….he and Seiryuu managed to carry your big metal suit there back to base."

As if they had been summoned, Koro and Seiryuu walked into the room a second later, her eyes going wide as she raced over to Jupiter and wrapped her arms around it as she spoke, her voice happy.

"Tatsumi! You survived!"

Clearly unsure how to handle the situation as Seiryuu tried to wrap her arms around his big metal chest plate, Tatsumi put his armored hand to his helmet as he spoke.

" **Yeah….thanks for carrying me back, I guess.** "

Noticing Koro happily panting beside him, eyes as black as the night sky, Tatsumi happily patted him on the head with his giant metal hand and spoke, his voice childish and happy.

" **Good boy! Who's a deadly, man eating Organic Teigu? You are!"**

Happily panting as if he had just been given a treat, Koro continued to pant like this until Tatsumi rose up to a full standing position once more and glanced around the room as he spoke, the wings emblazoned on his armor gleaming in the moonlight from the nearby windows.

" **What of Bro? Did Stylish save him?!"**

Glancing at each other, Kurome and Seiryuu looked confused as Kurome spoke.

"We don't know…..he locked himself in his laboratory the second he got back to base, and as soon as I helped him put the body on a table he kicked me out…"

His metal hand closing slowly, Tatsumi fell silent for a few seconds before speaking once more.

" **I just need to believe in Stylish, I guess. If he couldn't save him…..no one could."**

As Tatsumi fell silent once more, his helmet turning to stare out the nearby window that looked out over the city, silence descended over the room until Kurome spoke up, her voice quiet as she ran her hand over Tatsumi's armor.

"Tatsumi…..are you in pain in there? Are you…..ok?"

Not making any visible moves for a few minutes, Tatsumi's voice came from Jupiter some time later, quiet and serious.

" **I'm not fine, by any stretch of the word…the armor is constantly stabbing into me and slithering tubes into my body to keep me alive…..it sucks. If I could feel pain, I think I would be in constant agony…but this body of mine is so tattered that most of my sensed stopped working a long time ago. But I guess I can't complain…..I'm not dead. Technically."**

Turning his helmet halfway back to her, Tatsumi spoke to Kurome once more.

" **But I guess there's one thing I'm happy about."**

As he fell silent once more and stared back out the window, the two women glanced at each other before Kurome spoke once more, curiosity creeping into her tone.

"What would that be?"

Remaining motionless for a second, Jupiter suddenly turned around and took a lumbering step forward, rattling the room as Tatsumi raised Jupiter's massive metal hand to brush Kurome's cheek as he spoke.

" **Every time I see you, Kurome…..I feel…..happy. As stupid as it sounds, the dying heart of mine begins to race each time I see you. Cheesy, right?"**

Falling silent for a second as Kurome closed her eyes as the cold metal of Jupiter's armored hand brushed along her cheek, she opened her eyes as Tatsumi drew his hand back and turned back to the window and continued.

" **It's the one feeling I have left that hasn't died…even though I can't be there in person to see you with my own two eyes, I'm still happy that I can see you at all, y'know?"**

Frowning sadly as she watched Tatsumi gaze out the window once more, Kurome nodded as she spoke, her voice quiet as she gently rested her hand on Tatsumi's armored back.

"No matter what you look like, even if I can't actually see you inside of that big metal suit…"

As Tatsumi turned around and looked down at Kurome's tiny hand on his metal chestplate, Kurome continued.

"It doesn't matter to me. You're still that same idiot you always are, you're just inside a metal suit now."

Holding back her tears with all her might, Kurome looked up into Tatsumi's helmet as he laughed and spoke.

" **Haha….you never change, Kurome! No matter what's going, you'll just keep eating those snacks of yours and make some snarky comment, right? Honestly, that strength to keep that façade up no matter what's going on is one of your greatest strengths."**

Gently resting his armored hand on her head, Kurome winced as he continued.

" **But that's what I love about you, you know. Wow, never thought I would say that…if Sayo were here, she'd probably whack me upside the head and yell at me for something…..haha. Anyway Kurome….just know that no matter what comes after this, I swear that I'll always be right here at your side, ok? I might not be good for much else right now, but I swear I'll protect yo-"**

Suddenly interrupted as Kurome whacked his helmet with her sword, She grinned as she spoke between bites of her snacks.

"What makes you think I need protecting, huh? I dare you to say that again!"

Awkwadly rubbing his head, Tatsumi laughed even louder than before as he spoke.

" **Yeah, you're right….my bad. You're stronger than that…..well anyway, I'll be here at your side regardless, then!"**

Her face going red, Kurome turned away and continued to eat her snacks as she mumbled a reply so quiet Tatsumi struggled to hear her.

" _If it's you….I wouldn't mind."  
_

Taking a step closer, Tatsumi spoke in a voice filled with confusion.

" **What?** "

Turning around suddenly and giving Tatsumi another whack on the helmet with her sword, Kurome grinned happily as she spoke.

"Nothing~!"

Rubbing his helmet once more, Tatsumi remained silent for a while until Seiryuu stretched and spoke.

"Well, I'm getting tired…..Koro and I are gonna head to bed. You coming, Kurome?"

Glancing between Tatsumi and Seiryuu, Kurome nodded and spoke.

"You go ahead. I'll be there in a minute."

Shrugging as she and Koro left the room and headed to bed, once the door had shut behind them Kurome walked over to Tatsumi and stared up into his helmet as she spoke in a firm voice.

"I'll only say this once….so listen up, okay?"

Nodding as he glanced down at her, Kurome's face turned red momentarily before she seemed shake it off and begin to speak.

"I….love you, Tatsumi. So don't go dying on me like that again, got it? I'll kill you if you die like that!"

Rubbing his helmet, Tatsumi smiled under his helmet as he gently rubbed Kurome's head and spoke.

"Don't worry. Come hell or high water, even if I had to face an army by myself….there's no way I'd die now that I've actually fallen in love with someone! And besides…..I don't think making you mad is a good idea."

Grinning as she whirled around and headed for the door, Kurome paused for a moment at the door as she spoke.

"Mm-hmm. Smart boy. See you tomorrow…Tatsumi."

Blushing for a moment before she left the room, once the door had shut behind her Tatsumi turned his massive metal body to face the window as he spoke out loud.

" **I don't deserve a girl like that, I swear…..** "

After he had fallen silent for a while, Tatsumi was busy staring at the moon, deep in thought, when he heard the door open behind him followed by a voice he really hadn't been looking forward to hearing.

"Tatsumi. Are you in there?"

Sighing inside his armor, Tatsumi spoke without even turning around.

" **Of course I am. This armor won't let me sleep with all the things it sticks into me to keep me alive….and I'm not even sure my body** _ **can**_ **sleep anymore. Anyway, what is it?"**

Crossing her arms, Esdeath spoke as she sighed.

"About this relationship with Kurome you seem to have…."

Instantly whirling around and ejecting his wrist blades with a loud WHUMP, Tatsumi's mechanical voice was full of menace as he spoke.

" **You touch her Esdeath, and I swear I'll fucking rip you in half."**

Smirking, Esdeath shook her head as she replied.

"As much as I would love to tangle with you, Tatsumi….I intend on doing no such thing."

Hesitantly retracting his wrist blades, Tatsumi stared at her for a while, his helmet cold and expressionless as he spoke.

" **Then, what…?"**

Interrupting him with a wave of her hand, Esdeath continued nonchalantly.

"Why would I stop two of my subordinates from having relationships, hmm? As far as I can tell, this seems to have nothing but a positive effect on Kurome's attitude lately….she's much happier, it seems. No, I merely wanted to let you know I had no problems with it. In fact, I give you my best wishes in it…I am not so pointlessly cruel I would stop my soldiers from being happy, you know. Oh, and also I was simply wanting to tell you that I have decided to recall the soldiers I had placed around your village."

His armored form not budging an inch and not giving any visible reaction, Tatsumi was silent for a while before replying.

" **Why would you recall them? I might decide to leave here, you know.** "

To Tatsumi's surprise, however, Esdeath laughed as she replied.

"I doubt you'll do that…Kurome's here."

Esdeath knew she had hit the nail on the head when Tatsumi fell silent for a while before replying.

" **Damn it…but I guess I should thank you for that.** "

Again waving her hand dismissively, Esdeath spoke as she headed for the door to leave.

"Nonsense, do no such thing. I merely decided that keeping the threat of your village hanging over your head at this point was a moot point and only would serve to hinder your performance from here on out. From this moment, Tatsumi…."

Pausing for a moment, Esdeath spoke once more.

"…You're a full member of the Jaegers, if you so wish to join of your own free will."

Tatsumi paused only for a second before replying.

" **I accept your offer…..there's no way I could leave Kurome like that.** "

Smirking as she turned away, Esdeath's voice came from the door as she left.

"Then welcome to the Jaegers, Tatsumi….perhaps a party is in order tomorrow…"

Hearing her debating it as the door shut behind her, Tatsumi turned back to the window and returned to his thoughts.

 _A full, proper member of the Jaegers…it doesn't feel special. I guess the only reason I did It was to be with Kurome….and I guess everyone else actually isn't that bad. They all have their quirks, but…nothing I can't get over. I think. Stylish might be too weird to get over._

Sighing inside of his armor, Tatsumi shook his helmeted head.

 _Let's not think about that. More importantly, if I'm a full-fledged member of the Jaegers….would Esdeath let me visit my village?_

Pausing his thoughts for a moment, Tatsumi continued as he realized something.

 _Would they even want me back, when I look like a giant metal monster? Maybe the best thing I could do for them is save up money like I originally planned, and send it back when I have enough…._

Jolted from his thoughts as he felt the morning Sunlight hit his helmet, Tatsumi realized he had been in his thoughts for almost two hours!

 _It's almost morning…maybe I should go on a walk….maybe buy something. Sounds nice._

Nodding to himself as he lumbered out of the room and headed for the exit, Tatsumi did his best not to wake anyone but was stopped as he passed through the main dining hall by Bols as he turned to Tatsumi and spoke.

"Oh, Tatsumi-kun! I'm glad you're okay!"

Smiling under his helmet, Tatsumi replied.

"Hey there, Bols. Yeah, I'm okay I guess….I'm not dead at least."

Trailing off as he smelled the most delicious food coming from the kitchen, Tatsumi felt his mouth water as he spoke once more.

"Whatcha makin', Bols?"

Humming happily as he flipped something in a pan, Bols spoke happily.

"Well, I got lots of requests for breakfast this morning, so I'm doing special requests this morning. For Wave-Kun, a giant seafood platter….for Kurome, an entire grilled boar. Seiryuu said she wanted a steak, Run wanted a salad, and Stylish said he didn't care, so I'm making him something special!"

Glancing over Bols' shoulder and seeing him making a kids meal, Tatsumi grinned under his helmet as he thought to himself.

 _A kids meal….? For Stylish? Right…_

Suddenly thinking about something, Tatsumi spoke to Jupiter inside of his helmet.

"Jupiter, can I still eat things?"

It was only a second before his dreams were crushed.

" **Negative. Your body is technically dead, so any food ingested would never get digested."**

Sighing once more, Tatsumi patted Bols on the shoulder as he made his way to the door to leave.

"Anyway, I'm going to head out into the town for a walk. See ya, Bols."

Stopping as he heard Bols call out to him, Tatsumi looked back at Bols as he called out to him.

"Tatsumi-kun, you should visit me at home sometime! I'm sure my wife and kid would love to see you!"

Hesitating for a full five seconds, Tatsumi spoke.

"Even if I look like this?"

Bols suddenly stopped cooking and turned to stare at Tatsumi as he spoke, his voice serious as he did so.

"Tatsumi-kun…if my wife was like that, Judging people on how they looked….do you really think she would ever have given me the time of day?"

Falling silent for a second, Tatsumi looked down at the ground and replied.

"Yea, you're right. Sorry, Bols."

Bols waved his hand happily as he went back to cooking.

"Don't worry about it, Tatsumi-Kun…..sometimes, I still think I'm dreaming…that I'm going to wake up any minute now, and I'll be back in the incineration squad…"

Not knowing what to say, Tatsumi walked over to Bols and patted him on the shoulder as he spoke.

"I think I can understand how you feel. Sometimes I think I'm dreaming, and that I'm going to wake up and be back in my village, Sayo and Ieyasu standing at my side, my body back to normal. But this isn't a dream, Bols….I only have to think about Kurome and how she actually said she loves me to know that."

Pausing for a moment, Bols nodded for a second and gave a reply, his voice quieter than normal.

"Yeah."

Turning to head to the door, Tatsumi paused before he left and spoke.

"Take care, Bols. If anyone asks, I went out for fresh air."

Bidding farewell as he shut the door behind him and stepped out into the halls and headed for the exit, Tatsumi sighed with relief as he finally stepped outside and felt fresh air flow into his helmet. Briefly pausing to savor the smell of the air, Tatsumi headed out into the town itself with no real goal in particular as he walked, briefly taking note of the strange gazes he got from the people and town guard, but paying them no mind as he walked, his steps rattling the ground around him. Walking for a while until he realized he was at the entrance to the main shopping street, Tatsumi thought to himself as he watched countless people stare at him as they entered and left.

 _Maybe I'll buy something….oh, maybe something for Kurome? Nah, she doesn't seem the type for that kind of thing….but I guess if I bought some weapon or bag of roasted meat she'd like it._

Nodding happily to himself that he would try to find something nice for the girl he liked, no, _loved,_ Tatsumi entered the crowds of the shopping district, people clearing a path for him as he walked and looked around him at the stalls to see what they were selling. Walking for a bit and seeing nothing he thought Kurome would like, Tatsumi thought he was going to have to leave empty handed when he saw a sign that piqued his interest.

 _Roy's smith shop_

 _Special offer: Bring your own metal, and have it forged into something of your choosing!_

 _Now half off!_

Briefly thinking about this, Tatsumi spoke to Jupiter from inside of his helmet.

"Jupiter, you have any spare parts I could melt down? Anything you don't need to function?"

Hearing chirping for a bit, Jupiter spoke a minute later.

" **Affirmative."**

Smiling as a single golden gear the size of a child's head appeared from a slot in his armor, Tatsumi nodded happily as he addressed Jupiter once more.

"Thanks. Oh dammit, my money's inside of my coat pocket, here in the armor! Hey Jupiter, can you get my money from my pocket?"

Hearing no words as the coins appeared from the same slot in his armor seconds later, Tatsumi happily ducked into the smith shop and glanced around as he called out.

" **Anyone hoooome? Hellooo?"**

Hearing a loud rattling noise a few seconds later, Tatsumi heard a voice come from the back.

"Yeah, yeah! Keep yer pants on!"

As a rough looking man entered the main shop seconds later, his grizzled old face clearly surprised at seeing an armored behemoth in his shop, he spoke hesitantly as he sat down behind the counter.

"Uh…anything I can do for you?"

Slamming the gear and the coins down on the counter, Tatsumi spoke eagerly.

"What can you make with this?"

Clearly interested with the gear, the man whistled softly as he ran his hand over the smooth metal, picking it up and humming as he spoke a few seconds later.

"Hrm….this is nice metal, sir…..well, what do you want me to make? This is big enough, so I think I could make something up to, say…"

Rubbing his grizzled chin as he closed his eyes and seemed to be thinking, the man spoke a few seconds later.

"…a pair of bracers, maybe? If I used some leather for the straps, then maybe I could make a pair of good metal bracers. They could even block a sword, maybe…..I might even have enough left over to make a ring or something."

Thinking intently under his helmet, Tatsumi thought about Kurome for a second.

 _Bracers, huh? Those might actually be useful to her…she has some arm protection now, I guess…..Maybe if he could color them black and red to match her color palate, then…yeah…_

Turning to the man and nodding, Tatsumi spoke.

"Yeah, Bracers and a ring sounds nice. Could you make the bracers black and red? The person I wanna make these for kinda has a certain color preference…."

Once again rubbing his chin and thinking, the man nodded a few seconds later.

"I don't see why not, I guess. Shame to ruin the nice golden sheen, but if you got a girlfriend who likes black and red, then mums the word."

His face going red under his helmet, Tatsumi was about to angrily dispute the man's words when the man turned to Tatsumi and spoke.

"Okay, wait there for an hour or two, and I'll be done in a bit. This won't take long."

Nodding, Tatsumi moved to the corner of the shop where he would be out of the way to wait for the man to be done and was glancing absentmindedly around the shop when he spied a sword so massive he had never seen anything like it on a mount on the wall. Spying a hastily scribbled note that was tacked onto a plaque with a name on it, Tatsumi read it out loud.

" _ **The Steel Splitter…can anyone even use this thing? It's been sitting here for years after the king commissioned it but found no one could wield it."**_

Gently retrieving the almost Seven foot long behemoth from its mount on the wall, Tatsumi was surprised when even he, inside of Jupiter, had a bit of trouble wielding the solid-iron sword!

"Jesus….how big is this sword, Jupiter?"

The armor chirped a few seconds later.

" **Seven feet three inches long…made of solid cast-iron…weighs approximately 450 pounds."**

Tatsumi whistled appreciatively as lifted the gargantuan sword that was almost up to his chestplate into the air with one armored hand, speaking to himself as he did so.

" **This could supplement my limited attack capacity…."**

As he was intently looking at the massive sword before him, Tatsumi heard the smith's incredulous gasp as the man spoke from the entrance from the forge.

"Jeezus, man! You can lift that damn thing?!"

Glancing at the man as he gently returned the seven foot monstrosity of a sword to its mount on the wall, Tatsumi nodded hesitantly as he spoke.

" **I guess. Who the hell in the world made that thing?"**

Scratching his balding head, the man sat down behind the counter and seemed to be recalling something for a second as he replied.

"The last king. He wanted a sword that was strong enough to split steel with a single blow….god knows why. So I made it for him to the dimensions he wanted, but when he found not one damn man or woman could wield the thing, he sent it back. Fuckin' dick….things been sitting in my shop for thirty years. Oh, your bracers and ring are done. Sorry it took so long."

Blinking once under his helmet, Tatsumi spoke.

" **What? How long has it been?"**

The man replied in a bored tone.

"Four hours."

Blinking once more, Tatsumi hesitantly put the bracers and ring the man handed him in the pouch around his waist as he went to leave. He was stopped, however, when the man spoke up from behind him.

"Hey, man….take that damn sword if you want…I doubt anyone else can wield it, and if this goes on any longer I'm going to melt it down, so…."

Glancing back at the man, Tatsumi spoke incredulously.

" **Wha….? Really?"**

The man grinned and waved his hand dismissively.

"Sure…..might as well get some use out of it, yeah?"

As Tatsumi hesitantly picked the sword up from the wall mount and held it in his hand, he noticed it had a chain bolted to it! Swinging the chain over his shoulder and grinning as the sword stayed on his armored back, Tatsumi turned back to the smith and nodded respectfully.

"I appreciate it, sir."

The man grinned and nodded.

"Don't mention it. Just tell anyone who asks what shop you got it at, okay?"

Nodding as he left the shop, Tatsumi grinned happily as he examined the ring and bracers in his armored hand and thought to himself.

 _Kurome's gonna like this, I think. Can't wait to get back to give it to her._

Feeling someone tap on his armor as he was shook from his thoughts, Tatsumi turned to his side to see a frail old woman speak to him.

"You're strong, right? Someone's getting attacked over here!"

Bristling instantly, Tatsumi nodded and spoke.

" **Where?"**

Following the old woman as she led him down a side street and to a small trapdoor that was sitting in the burnt out remains of a house, the old lady swung open the door with some visible effort, then turned back to speak to Tatsumi.

"Down here! Please, go save my child!"

Hesitating as he stared at the darkness that seemed to beckoning to him, Tatsumi quickly cast aside his doubt and leapt down into the hole only to land a second later with a thunderous CRASH, his head barely below the ceiling in the tiny basement as he glanced around. Seeing nothing, Tatsumi turned around only to see the old lady jump nimbly down after him, shutting the trap door behind her as she suddenly morphed into the girl with the pink hair he had seen with night raid! His hand instantly going to his sword on his back, Tatsumi glanced around as he saw something that made him sigh heavily as he watched five more shadowy forms step from the darkness and into his field of view as the pink hair woman spoke.

"Sorry Tatsumi, But…..we need to take you out if we're going to ever have a hope of defeating the minister."

Drawing his massive sword, Tatsumi glanced around and sighed as he saw what was going on.

" **Damn it all….I was excited to give these gift to Kurome…."**

Here, in this tiny and dimly lit basement…..

Night Raid had him surrounded.

 **Hey guys, chapter ten is done, and boy was it long! At least compared to what I normally write, anyway. My main goal for this chapter was to ease off the non-stop intensity of the combat I had been writing about and focus more on the individuals of the Jaegers and how they interacted, not to mention more of Tatsumi and Kurome's relationship, and I'm satisfied with my job. Oh, and I'm excited I thought of giving Tatsumi a huge ass sword like guts has in** _ **Berserk...**_ **it's gonna be awesome. Anyway, I loved writing it, and like always reviews are appreciated, so keep 'em coming. I love writing this stuff even if I didn't post it anywhere, but it's always nice to know people like what you write. See you next week! (Hopefully)**


	11. Chapter 11: Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

**Chapter Eleven: Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust**

As Tatsumi tried to bring his sword off of his back and felt it _clang_ against the ceiling of the tiny basement he was in, he sighed as he realized his sword was too big for the tiny basement. Settling for ejecting his wrist blades with a loud WHUMP, Tatsumi's metal helmet briefly moved left and right before his mechanical voice echoed out of the armor.

" **No need to throw your lives away here, you know. Since I came down to the shopping district to buy something for someone I care about, I'm in a good mood…..so if you all just leave now, I'll let it go."**

As no one made a move to leave, Tatsumi sighed inside of Jupiter as Lubbock pounded his hand on the ceiling door to the outside, his voice angry as he spoke suddenly.

"You arrogant bastard! Have you forgotten in the past five seconds, or are you just stupid?! You're trapped in here with us!"

As the other assassins nodded in agreement with Lubbock's statement, Tatsumi briefly ran his wrist blades along each other and produced a shower of sparks that lit up the dim basement, a deep, menacing laugh coming from his armor as he went motionless.

" **Oh…? Is that so? No, I do believe you're wrong about that…"**

Suddenly taking a colossal step forward faster than any of the Night Raid assassins had expected a multiple-ton armored man to move, Tatsumi suddenly had his massive armored hand around Lubbock's head as he spoke from within his armor, his voice low and intimidating as Lubbock's feet kicked and lashed out, to no avail.

" **No…..you're trapped in here with me!"**

Before Tatsumi could close his armored fist around Lubbock's head, thus killing the boy, Susanoo roared and leapt forward with the force of a locomotive and slammed his staff into Jupiter's arm, distracting Tatsumi long enough for Lubbock to slip from his grasp! Turning slowly as all of the assassins around him leapt in close and began to attack him, Tatsumi chuckled as he watched all of their attacks bounce off his heavy armor plating and away from him harmlessly.

" **You cannot hurt me….give up. Do you still refuse to recognize how different our strengths are?"**

Tuning out the sound of Night Raid's constant attacks on his armor, Tatsumi briefly turned his attention to Jupiter as he addressed it inside of his helmet.

"Jupiter, is there any danger of them getting through the armor?"

There was barely a second before Jupiter chirped back.

" **Negative. Their attacks are harmless to the overall integrity of the armor."**

Frowning, Tatsumi was about to settle for bursting his way out through the door to the outside when he felt the belt he had latched around his armor before he had left HQ fall off of him! Instantly focusing his senses back on the fight before him, Tatsumi whirled around only to see the pink haired girl sifting through the pockets of his belt like they were his own, a smug grin on her face as she dug out the golden bracelets and necklace he had made for Kurome! Holding them up and trying them on, she smirked as she looked at him and spoke.

"Nice. Were these the gifts you were talking about, hmm?"

Feeling anger welling up within him, Tatsumi barely managed to suppress it as he took a lumbering step forward and spoke with a voice that could have blasted through steel.

" **Give me that. NOW."**

Another grin crossed her face as she nimbly ducked under a swing from his wrist blades, She darted behind her other friends as they encircled him, protecting her as she spoke once more, holding the bracelets in her hand.

"I'll admit, they are certainly pretty…Leone, take a look at these, wouldja?"

As everything seemed to go into slow motion as Tatsumi watched the pink haired girl toss them at Leone from across the room, Tatsumi desperately shot forward in an attempt to save them, his mind racing at a million miles an hour.

 _Not those…not those…..please, not those! Those were for her…!_

But sadly, Tatsumi was a millisecond too late as he watched his armored hand pass through empty air, the bracelets falling into Leone's beast-like paw and vanishing as she closed her hand around them. Upon hearing a loud CRUNCH noise followed by little bits of gold metal falling from her, Tatsumi's vision went blood red as the pink Haired girl spoke from behind him.

"Awww…..too bad. I think I'll keep the necklace, though….."

His vision getting redder and redder by the second as pure, unbridled fury shot spread throughout his body like a toxin, Tatsumi spoke a second later, his voice fragmented and choppy as if he had gotten so pissed he had forgotten how to speak.

" **You…..the bracelets…..broke….them!"**

Cupping her hand to her ear now that she saw she had rattled him, the pink haired girl only continued her taunting.

"Oh? Hmm? What was tha-URK!"

Grunting as Tatsumi's massive armored hand suddenly closed around her chest, she angrily beat her bare hands on his armored gauntlets as Tatsumi brought her face a mere millimeter from his helmet and spoke, his voice deadly quiet.

" **Simple. You broke those bracelets…..I'll break you. As in, I'll fucking rip you in half."**

Hearing what was happening to their comrade, Night Raid finally leapt into action, but it was too little too late as Tatsumi chuckled creepily and grabbed the pink haired girls legs in one hand, and her head in the other and bent her behind his helmet and over his shoulders horizontally as the girl cried out in pain. Blood coming from the girl's body as her bones began to snap like chalk, Night Raid's attacks on his armor only ramped up as they desperately tried to save their comrade from the clutches of certain death, their attacks falling flat as Tatsumi roared in anger.

" **PAY FOR THOSE DAMNED BRACELETS WITH YOUR BLOOD!"**

As a loud tearing sound was heard as the woman cried out in pain one more time, everyone near Jupiter was forced to close their eyes as drops of blood spattered in their eyes and faces, their comrades cries suddenly falling silent as Tatsumi's voice was heard once more.

" **Damn it all…of all the things I wanted to do today…..this wasn't one of them."**

As everyone finally opened their eyes only to see Tatsumi holding the two severed halves of their pink haired comrade's body in each of Tatsumi's hands, they were frozen as he unceremoniously tossed both halves of her body towards them and headed for the door, disgust in his voice as he lumbered away.

" **Disgusting…..blood and guts all over my armor….."**

Watching the blood-soaked Jupiter walk towards the exit, intestines hanging from its shoulder plates, they all froze once more as Tatsumi froze near the door and turned back to speak once more.

" **Next time, stay out of my fucking way. You'll live longer. I'm not like the other Jaegars, you know…..just don't fuck with me, and unless you piss me off or hurt my friends, I'll leave you alone. That kind of stuff takes effort, so….well, you get the picture."**

Blasting a massive hole in the ceiling with his fist as leapt up into the streets once more, Tatsumi sighed and glanced around the streets as he heard Night Raid's anguished cries from the basement behind him.

" **Idiots. Couldn't leave well enough alone, huh? It's not like I** _ **wanted**_ **to rip someone in half today…..does anyone think of my feelings? No, of course not. They just figure the big metal guy can't** _ **have**_ **feelings….Just look at Bioshock 2, those big daddies had feelings."**

Coughing inside of his armor, Tatsumi sighed and spoke once more as he looked at the remains of the golden bracelets in his hands, along with the blood-stained golden necklace he had recovered from the woman when he had broken her in half.

" **Whoops. Wrong universe. Anyway…..I managed to save the necklace at least…..I guess that's something."**

Letting out another exasperated sigh, Tatsumi turned and began to trudge towards HQ, ignoring the terrified looks of the people he passed as they stared at the blood and gore on his armor. Stopping as he saw a soldier running towards him, Tatsumi paused and took a moment to pluck an intestine that had gotten lodged on his shoulder pauldron, tossing it to the ground beside him as the soldier came to a running stop in front of him and took a moment to catch his breath before speaking.

"Haaa…..Hooo…are you…..Tatsumi?"

Looking down at the man as he slipped the necklace and bracelet remnants back into the belt at his waist, Tatsumi nodded as he replied from within Jupiter.

" **Yeah. Do you need me?** "

Pausing for another second to catch his breath one more, the soldier nodded slowly as he replied and extended his hand to Tatsumi, a folded piece of official looking paper in it.

"Haa…..yeah. Here, official…summons to the palace. Minister's orders. Oh, and my orders were to take you there immediately, and without telling anyone. Please….come with me."

Clearly seeing the terrified look in the young man's eyes as he was undoubtedly praying Tatsumi wouldn't say no, Tatsumi chuckled inside of his armor as he thought about what to do.

 _No reason to ignore that, I guess…as much as I hate that fat, corrupt asshole…..he's clever. He's not going to go through all this trouble just to try to kill me…If anything, he has some sort of offer for me._

Nodding slowly, Tatsumi spoke to put the young soldier at ease.

" **Quit Shaking, I'll follow you. Do you think I'm going to rip you in half or something for daring to talk to me? It's not like I'm a monste-"**

Pausing as he realized blood and gore was dripping from his armor, Tatsumi coughed awkwardly as he continued.

" **Ah, well…this is different. Anyway, just lead me to the palace."**

Ignoring the man's quivering words of reply and instead wordlessly following him as the soldier headed for the palace, Tatsumi once again fell deep into thought as he walked.

 _Sometimes….I hate this shit. Sure, Night Raid isn't the nicest bunch of people and I'm not going to apologize for what I did back there…but can I really say the Jaegers and I are so much better? From what I've seen, the Jaegers come from completely different tiers of society in the empire than what it seems like Night raid came from. Bols has a wife, wave was a navy man and lived in what sounds like not that bad of a place, Run's a teacher, Kurome was…okay, she had it rough. Not sure about stylish, but…I think the only difference between Night Raid and the Jaegers is their difference in Philosophy…..Night Raid wants to destroy the minister and anyone he has ever touched and wipe the slate clean, while the Jaegers want to defend the empire that gave them their lives and families, among other reasons I guess. I think the two groups merging into one if we could take out the minster wouldn't be a stretch, honestly. Oh, we're here._

Shaken from his thoughts as the soldier came to a halt just inside the palace entry hall, Tatsumi looked at the man as he turned to Tatsumi and saluted.

"This is where I take my leave…..just head forward and into the meeting room, and the minister is waiting there for you. Good day."

Watching as the soldier hurriedly made his way out of the capital and out of sight, Tatsumi briefly glanced down at his armor and frowned in his helmet as he saw blood and gore all over it.

 _Hardly a state appropriate for a meeting…oh well, not like the minster will care at all._

Trudging down the hallway at a decent pace and coming to a stop just before the gilded, golden door to the meeting room, Tatsumi took a second to compose himself before walking in. Taking a deep breath, Tatsumi swung open the door and stepped into the medium-sized meeting room, glancing around and seeing no one but Honest in it with him, a slab of meat in his hand! Upon Seeing Tatsumi, Honest smiled amicably and spoke in between bites of meat.

"Oh, Tatsumi, was it?"

Nodding, Tatsumi replied.

" **Y-Yeah. Uh, sir."**

Waving his hand, Honest frowned as he took another massive bite of his meat and spoke.

"Bah, enough of that. I didn't call you here today for such foolish pleasantries, you know."

Not making any moves, Tatsumi replied emotionlessly.

" **So what did you call me here for today?"**

Suddenly turning to him with a serious look on his face, Honest grinned sadistically as he spoke.

"That woman is lying to you, boy."

His almost-dead body somehow going cold for a split second, Tatsumi's mind suddenly raced along at a million miles per hour until he managed to squeak out a reply a second or so later.

" **E-Excuse…me?"**

Grinning as he took another bite of meat, Honest repeated himself.

"I told you…..that woman is lying to you. You know, General Esdeath."

His heart feeling lighter when he heard he hadn't meant Kurome, Tatsumi was still confused as he replied.

" **Yeah, I'm sure she is about something. She's not really nice like that."**

Honest merely waved his hand dismissively as he spoke.

"No no, more than normal, I mean. Boy… _She's lying to you about your village._ "

His vision suddenly going white from shock, Tatsumi fell silent for almost two minutes as he composed himself, his vision slowly returning as he steadied himself on the wall, his mind racing.

 _What? What does he mean? What was she lying about?_

Slamming his armored fist down on the table so hard it split in half, Tatsumi angrily spoke to Honest.

" **What do you mean,** _ **she's lying**_ **?!"**

Looking slightly annoyed as he held his meat in his hands, Honest took another bite before glancing up at Tatsumi, cunning in his eyes as he spoke.

"She told you she would recall the spies around you village, didn't she? Tell me boy, do you really think the woman who slaughtered almost a million people in her conquest of the north would so easily let your village go, just because you swore allegiance to her? Trust me boy, that woman is just as cunning as I am when she wants to be….if anything, she probably deemed them expen-"

Slamming his fist into the wall before Honest could finish, Tatsusmi's shaken voice was heard coming from his armor as he replied, his voice hesitant.

" **No….no! You're lying! Since when have you ever told the truth, much less for no reason like this?! Besides, how could you even know she had been lying to me in the first place?"**

Smiling amusedly, Honest took another bite of his meat, finishing it off as he licked his fingers and turned to Tatsumi as he spoke.

"Hrmm, I suppose you're right. I'm not really know for my honesty, hmm..? As to how I know this, let's just say I had some agents of my own I had instructed to follow that woman's activities, and they reported to me her soldiers had just burned a village to the ground. Needless to say, when I found out that it was your village, well…..let's just say I think we can come to a deal of sorts."

His eyes narrowing under his helmet, Tatsumi paused once more before replying.

" **Okay, let's pretend for now you aren't lying through your teeth…..what do you want in return for this information? Because I know you're not the type of person to do something like this if it didn't benefit you in some way."**

Smiling with all the cunning of a fox, the minister nodded slowly as he replied and begun to rise from his chair.

"Smart boy. I suppose I can understand if you are reluctant to believe my information, so I'll tell you what….hear out what I want in return for giving for this information, and if you go look for yourself and see your village still standing, you can just go on about your day, none the wiser. But if you find your village in shambles like I'm claiming, you automatically agree to what I want. Deal…?"

Pausing for a moment, Tatsumi thought it through for a while before replying.

" **Perhaps. Let me hear what you want."**

Stroking his fat chin thoughtfully, Honest sighed quietly before speaking once more.

"Yes, well….as of late, things do not seem to be going quite my way, you see. First, Budo decides to side with that brat emperor and take him away to god knows where, the revolutionary army is about to go on the warpath while the emperor is gone, and Night Raid is being as much of a nuisance as ever. Honestly, the only one I have left who is capable of ensuring my safety is General Esdeath. But you see, I need someone who's a little more reliable than that woman is…"

Clearing his throat, Honest paused for a second and continued.

"…..You see, want I want is quite simple. I merely want a favor that I will be able to call in from you at any point. Simple enough, hmm?"

Tatsumi fell silent for a minute before replying.

" **Fine. So long as you don't command me to kill a certain person, I'll do it."**

Clasping his hands behind his back, Honest fell silent for a minute before waving his hand dismissively as he spoke.

"Excellent…now a word of advice, boy…..waste no time in going to confirm what I've told you today. No doubt that woman will be working to cover it up to make it seem the village perished of natural causes…"

Before Tatsumi could speak, another man walked into the room and glanced at Honest, then at Tatsumi as he spoke.

"Hey, Pops. Who's the big guy?"

Sighing, Honest turned to Tatsumi and spoke.

"One of Esdeath's Jaegers. Syura my boy, could you send this boy to that village I told you about earlier?"

Narrowing his eyes as he glanced between Honest and Tatsumi, Syura seemed to shrug as he pulled out a small, circular device and spoke.

"Eh, I guess…"

As a purple light appeared beneath him, Tatsumi was surprised and glanced to Honest and spoke.

" **What's this? What's going on?"**

Replying with a wave of his hand, Honest began to head for the exit.

"My son here will provide a shortcut of sorts….he'll get you to the village quickly, so please confirm my information is accurate. I'll be looking forward to calling in that favor! Hohohohohohoho…"

Laughing coldly as he left the room, Honest's laughter trailed off as Syura spoke, his voice betraying his boredom.

"Yeah, well….here you go. I'm only doing this since pops asked me to, so count yourself lucky. Have fun walking back."

And with that, Tatsumi felt himself hurtling through space, off to his village…

 **Sometime later**

His vision once again returning to him as he felt himself coming to a stop, Tatsumi soon found himself staring at the snowy drifts that he recognized as being from just outside his village! Feeling his heart race a bit, Tatsumi's excited attitude was quickly shattered to pieces as he saw a massive plume of smoke curling up from just over the horizon! Feeling all the breath leave his body as he froze up, Tatsumi felt his mind began to race.

 _No…no….it can't be true….it can't be!_

Pounding down the snow drift and headed for his village that lay just beyond the meager forest before him, Tatsumi trudged through huge snow drifts like a giant, mechanized battering ram as he desperately denied what he knew deep down in his heart to be true.

 _No…..there's no way…_

Finally entering the forest, Tatsumi didn't even stop his thunderous charge, instead charging headfirst through trees and shattering them into oblivion as he ran. Finally coming to a stop just outside of the exit to his village, Tatsumi decided to take a moment to survey his surroundings in the event that some of Esdeath's troops were still hanging around. Staring intently at the surrounding forest, Tatsumi spoke to Jupiter from within the armor.

"Jupiter, is there anyone around?"

Jupiter took a moment to respond as it searched the surroundings.

" **Searching…..Searching…..Search Complete. Ten Life forms detected in clearing ahead, one detected in surrounding forest.** "

Clenching his armored fist and drawing his massive sword, Tatsumi turned his head slightly to the right and saw the man Jupiter had described sitting in a tree, a pair of binoculars in his hands as he seemed to be watching the clearing intently. Slowly circling around to the man so as to alert him to his presence, Tatsumi finally arrived just behind the tree the man was in about twenty minutes later, his massive sword his hand as he smiled under his helmet. Bringing the steel splitter to bear, Tatsumi swung it with all his might at the trunk of the tree Esdeath's agent was sitting in, a resounding CRACK echoing throughout the forest as the trunk of the tree shattered into a billion wooden splinters as the tree began to topple over! Sheathing the steel splitter just in time to grab the agent as he fell out of the tree, Tatsumi's massive armored hand engulfed the man's whole head as he kicked and struggled, his movements useless as Tatsumi held him close to his helmet and spoke.

" **Tell me who sent you, and what you were doing. NOW."**

Visibly paling at the sight of this armored giant who could clearly crush his head like a pop can, the man paused a moment to swallow nervously before replying.

"E-Esdeath! We were told to watch this village a week or ago and wait for more orders!"

Falling silent for a minute, Tatsumi clutched the man's head tighter and ignored his pained screams as he spoke.

" **Oh..? Is that so? Then what are those men doing in the clearing ahead, huh? WATCHING?!"**

The man again swallowed and looked away as he fell silent, refusing to speak more until Tatsumi squeezed his head harder and spoke, his voice quiet and deadly.

" **Don't fuck with me….Unless you want your friends to be scraping you off this tree and my armor, I suggest you start talking."**

Finally realizing the situation he was in, the man sighed and began to speak.

"I guess I'm dead either way, then…Fine. We just got a new order by way of carrier pigeon about a day or so ago, and in it were orders to enact Order 66….the Vesuvius protocol."

Shaking the man violently, Tatsumi's mechanized voice only seemed to get angrier.

" **The hell is that?! TELL ME!"**

Pausing for a moment as if expecting his head to get crushed, the man looked straight into Tatsumi's metal helmet as he spoke in a dead serious voice.

"Burn them all. Burn it all to the ground, salt the earth and destroy the corpses….leave nothing left, not even a single scrap of flesh. THAT'S the Vesuvius protocol."

Feeling the blood that no longer ran through his veins somehow turn ice-cold, Tatsumi felt an unfamiliar feeling building up inside of him as he processed the man's words.

 _Pure fear._

Feeling a cold lump building up in his stomach, Tatsumi's mechanized voice was heard once more, quieter than before.

" **No….NO! Not them….if….if she ordered this….I'll….I'll…..I'LL FUCKING KILL HER!"**

Closing his fist around the man's head and not even flinching as a shower of gore erupted from his closed metal fist and decorated his already-gore encrusted armor and the nearby trees, Tatsumi merely strode out into the clearing as his thoughts turned murderous.

 _I'll kill her….I'll kill her…..I'll kill her…..why the hell did I believe her when she told me she'd return her spies?! Damn it!_

Falling to his knees as he entered the remnants of his village and saw the charred remains of houses and people scattered all over the ground, the wooden foundations of the houses still smoldering as he put his armored helmet in his hands.

" **All gone…damn it….what the hell…..am I supposed to do now? My village…"**

Suddenly remembering Sayo and Ieyasu, Tatsumi's mind cleared up a bit as he spoke to himself as he stood up.

" **Sayo….Ieyasu….are you still alive? I doubt you were here when this happened, so…they might be alive…!** "

His thoughts suddenly interrupted by the sounds of ten or so people walking out of the remains of a burned out house, Tatsumi wordlessly drew his sword as he listened to the troops laugh and talk to each other.

"Man, did you see the look on that bitch's face?! Fuckin' priceless! First we get this awesome job to burn this village down and kill everyone in it, then Esdeath says we can do whatever we want with that girl we brought along!"

As the other soldiers laughed and agreed, Tatsumi's mind latched onto something the man said as he stepped forward and spoke, the soldiers turning wide-eyed toward him as he did so, his sword leaving a bloody trail in the snow as he dragged it behind him.

" **Girl….you brought a girl….along? It's probably not her, but…"**

Finally returning to his senses, the captain of the soldiers drew his sword and commanded his men to the same as he spoke.

"Fuck! Who the hell…what the hell are you?! And why didn't Jack alert us someone was coming?!"

Grinning under his helmet, Tatsumi rested the steel splitter on his shoulder as he spoke.

" **Oh, the scout in the forest? I used him to paint the trees red. As to what I am….."**

Taking one more step forward, Tatsumi spoke, a tinge of twisted happiness in his voice as he spoke.

" **I'm just a pissed off guy who's standing in the middle of his burned down village, looking at ten soldiers who killed everyone he cared about…Get the picture?"**

As a few of the soldiers looked frantic and about to bolt at any second, the captain of the group calmed them down as he spoke.

"You talk a big game, maggot! We're Esdeath's elite, so let's see how you compete with us, dammit!"

Grinning under his helmet as he saw the ten soldiers in front of him ready their weapons, Tatsumi spoke as he readied his huge sword.

" **Good, Good…..this'll make it all the more satisfying to kill you all…..maybe I'll keep a souvenir or two to mount on armor…."**

Bringing his blade high into the air as the ten men all slowly began to advance towards him in a loose semi-circle, Tatsumi briefly glanced around before he made any moves. His thoughts briefly drifting to Sayo and Ieyasu, Tatsumi felt tears brimming up behind his eyes before he shook his head and thought to himself.

 _No…now's not the time, Tatsumi….worry about them after you deal with these jokers._

Swinging his sword sideways and catching the first five soldier's right in their sides, cutting straight through the swords they had tried to block with and cutting them in half as the other five moved in closer to him, inside of the minimum range he could bring his sword to bear. Returning his sword to its place on his back, Tatsumi ejected his wrist blades just in time to send them through the captain's head, killing him instantly as he turned to face the other four soldiers, who were now turning to flee without their captain. Managing to catch two from behind with his wrist blades, Tatsumi retracted them and thundered forward in an attempt to catch up to the remaining two, his efforts paying off as he managed to grasp the last two soldiers' heads in each of his hands, grinning as he held them in the air.

" **Too bad for you. Try to pick a better occupation in the next life, if you believe in that sort of thing."**

Closing his hands around the two soldiers' heads and showering his gauntlets and armor with more blood and gore, Tatsumi glanced around briefly to make sure no one else was going to make the mistake of attacking him, then turned to the house the ten men had come out of and headed for it, praying they weren't talking about who he thought they were.

 _Not her, please don't be her….it can't be her…._

Stepping into the burned out remains of the house, Tatsumi saw a single charred, burned body on the ground in front of him, it's long, once beautiful black hair now burned and destroyed, the skin burned beyond all recognition and the face marred by relatively fresh gash marks. Kneeling down and picking up the body in his massive armored hands, Tatsumi examined the body to see if he could determine who it was, but after a while he sighed in frustration.

" **Damn it…this body is bad…..there's not any recognizable features. Oh hey, what's this..?"**

Gently brushing the body's burnt black hair aside, Tatsumi felt his breath freeze in his lungs as he saw what he knew belonged to his childhood friend, Sayo: A pretty white flower accessory was clipped to the body's hair, slightly burnt, but it was clearly still a white flower underneath. Feeling tears coming from his eyes, Tatsumi brought the body closer as he spoke.

" **Not you, Sayo….please, don't do this to me….don't go! I've already lost too much…!"**

Pausing as he felt a hand brush his helmet, Tatsumi opened his eyes as he saw Sayo's burned body shift gently, her lips opening as he struggled to speak.

"Tat….sumi? Is….that you?"

Feeling warmth return to his body once more, Tatsumi nodded and spoke.

" **Yea…..Sayo, who did this to you? How did you get here? Is Ieyasu still alive?"**

Coughing softly, her dried throat cracked and worn, Sayo desperately tried to continue.

"Calm...down….Tatsumi. Me and Ieyasu….got arrested…in the capital. Woman with blue hair….took us to her dungeon….tortured us to get location of the village, but…only let those soldiers….take one of us. I think….Ieyasu…still back in her dungeons."

Coughing violently again, blood shooting from her lips, Tatsumi gently rested his armored hand on her chest as he spoke, his voice cracked with a mixture of anguish and pure rage.

" **It's okay, Sayo…don't talk anymore, ok? I know…who did this to you. Just take a quick nap, okay?"**

Closing her eyes, Sayo sighed happily as she spoke once more, her voice cracking.

"Glad…..I got…to see you again….Tatsumi. Please…save…Ieyasu…."

Carrying her now-still body out into the village and resting it in a hole he quickly made, Tatsumi gently lowered her body into the makeshift grave and knelt down beside it, silent as death itself as he methodically filled it in. Once the grave had been filled, Tatsumi slammed one of the soldier's swords into the grave as a sort of marker as he suddenly rose up and slammed the side of the burnt out house so hard the wall exploded into splinters.

" **She's fucking dead. I'll kill her! No, even better, I'll let Ieyasu have some fun with her before I do….GOD DAMN IT!"**

Tears streaming down the inside of his helmet as he stood there, unmoving, Tatsumi felt his mind drifting back into all the memories him, Sayo and Ieyasu had made together before they had left for the village, and all the fun times they had shared together as friends….

 **Some time ago**

 _As Sayo, Ieyasu and Tatsumi stood on the outskirts of the village just after the village elder had given Tatsumi the idol that he claimed would protect him, the three friends stood around and spoke to each other._

" _Well, we're finally setting off for the capital, guys."_

 _Nodding, Ieyasu rubbed his hands together and grinned._

" _Oh yeah, I bet there's gonna be so many babes there!"_

 _As Ieyasu and Tatsumi high-fived triumphantly, they quickly yelped in pain as Sayo whacked them both upside the head and sighed._

" _You idiots never change. Can't you take anything seriously?"_

 _Looking at each other, Tatsumi and Ieyasu looked to her as Tatsumi spoke._

" _I take plenty of things seriously, you know. Like fighting, for example."_

 _Rolling her eyes, Sayo nodded sarcastically._

" _Oh sure you do…"_

 _Grinning wildly, Tatsumi laughed as the three all shared a chuckle and listened as Ieyasu spoke and held out his hand, palm down._

" _Here's to making it big in the capital, guys!"_

 _As all three of them put their hands together, they all nodded and grinned as Tatsumi spoke._

" _Yeah, here's to saving our village!"_

 _Grinning as she put her hand on top of Ieyasu's and Tatsumi's, Sayo seemed to give up and smile as she spoke._

" _And here's to keeping you two idiots out of trouble, I guess….since no one else will!"_

 _As the three laughed and began to make their way down the road to the capital, Tatsumi felt himself returning to reality…_

 **Present day**

Blinking and realizing night had already fallen, Tatsumi looked around and sighed as he laid down in the snow beside the grave he had made for Sayo.

" **Might as well stay here for the night….don't feel like walking…"**

Knowing full well he was incapable of sleeping, Tatsumi stared up into the night sky and let the tears roll down his face as he mumbled to himself.

" **Sayo…everybody….I'll make sure you guys didn't die for nothing, I swear. Even if I have to bring the empire to its knees doing it, I swear I'll make Esdeath feel the pain she inflicted on you guys a hundred fold…and then, I'll let Ieyasu watch as I skin her alive.** "

 **XXXXX**

 **Back at Jaegar HQ**

Frowning as she sat down in her chair, Esdeath crossed her arms and sighed angrily as she thought about what the minister had said when he had visited a few hours ago.

" _I think young Tatsumi left to go check on his village, General…you may want to find a place to hide. Hohohohohoho…"_

Slamming her fist into the arm of her chair, Esdeath gritted her teeth as she rose and made her way to the Jaegar meeting room, where she had told everyone to meet her right about now.

"That bastard minister…no doubt he told Tatsumi to go inspect his village. At this pace, I suppose he's going to find out I lied about his village…he might even find that girl I sent with my soldiers, in which case…he'll know I have his other friend in my dungeons. What a pain. I guess I'll need to put him down, then…."

Falling silent as she made her way into the meeting room where all of the Jaegers had gathered, Esdeath put her hands on the table and took a deep breath as she prepared to speak, her thoughts swirling.

 _As much as I hate to say it, I'm not sure I can beat that boy alone, not with Jupiter on his side. But with my Jaegers backing me up…._

Clearing her throat, Esdeath spoke.

"Jaegers….Tatsumi's gone rogue, and is headed this way as we speak to enact some sort of plot on all of us. You all are going to help me put that boy down….any questions?"

From the back of the room, the newly healed Bro frowned as he thought to himself and glanced at Kurome's shocked face.

 _Yeah right….No way he'd betray anything with that girl here. She's lying. And knowing her….Tatsumi's heading here to kill her, probably._

 **The next morning, near the remains of Tatsumi's village**

After a night of staring up at the sky, unable to get any sort of sleep whatsoever, once the first signs of daybreak began to appear, morning light cresting the horizon and hitting Jupiter's helmet, Tatsumi blinked once as he stood up slowly.

" **Time to get to work**."

Taking one last painful look at the sword that he had rammed into the ground the night before to serve as a marker for where Sayo was buried, Tatsumi opened his armored hand and stared at the one thing he had taken from Sayo's body before he had buried her…..her white hairpiece, and smiled sadly inside his helmet as he found a spot on his helmet to clip it to so It wouldn't fall off as he began to walk towards the capital. Leaving the corpses of the soldiers behind where they had fallen, Tatsumi began to make the long, slow journey back to the capital as he continued to plot different ways to exact his revenge upon Esdeath.

 _Maybe I'll rip her skin off and feed it to….I'm sure she's done worse to others._

As his thoughts got darker and darker as he continued to think about a plethora of different torture methods that he figured would be fun to put into practice, Tatsumi was shaken from his thoughts as he caught a glimmer of something metallic out of the corner of his eye. Focusing his vision just in time to see something that looked vaguely human-shaped vanish into a small forest that stood in his way! Narrowing his eyes inside of his armor, Tatsumi continued to trudge forward and into the forest in an attempt to find whatever had been watching him, but after a few minutes of searching, about to give it up, Tatsumi heard an ever-so-slight rustling of the bushes to his right and turned just in time to wrap his massive hands around a scrawny, lightly armored man about 20 or so, his legs kicking and flailing as Tatsumi spoke menacingly.

" **Who are you, and why were you watching me? I'm not really in the mood to fuck around right now, so please….don't lie."**

Visibly swallowing, the man seemed to weigh his options for a few seconds before shrugging sheepishly and speaking, his voice timid.

"I'm a scout…just a scout! I was just ordred to scout ahead and check for threats!"

His mind focusing upon hearing the word _scout_ , Tatsumi frowned as he thought to himself for a second.

 _Where there's scouts…..there's an army._

Finally gathering his thoughts, Tatsumi spoke.

" **Scouting for who?!"**

Again visibly debating his options, the man clearly favored living over any sort of loyalty to the people who had hired him, or trained him.

"If I tell you, uh…..will I live?"

Chuckling to himself, Tatsumi nodded as he replied.

" **I'm not a monster. Just tell me the truth and you can go free…"**

Seeming to be satisfied with this answer, the man took a deep breath to help clear his mind before he replied.

"I'm a scout….for the revolutionary army. The orders came down from the guys at the top a few days ago…..we're going to marching on the capital in two days' time, and the scouting battalions got sent out to reconnoiter the path we would take to see what kind of difficulties we would face getting there."

His nearly dead body once again going cold as he realized what the man was implying, Tatsumi dropped the man as he spoke out loud.

" **Not good…the capital isn't in any position to hold off an attack from the revolutionary army…with General Budo and the emperor gone…."**

Turning back to the man, Tatsumi spoke once more.

" **Head on back, scout. Tell you superiors something to get them to delay the attack."**

Clearly confused, the man stared at Tatsumi as he replied.

"Uh, but…..from what you just said, now's the best time to attack…right?"

Rubbing his helmet with his armored hand, Tatsumi shook his head as he spoke.

" **Perhaps, yes…but with Esdeath still in the capital, you're bound to have a hard time. And not to mention, there's someone even stronger than her that you should be afraid of…"**

Clearly terrified at hearing this, the man hesitantly replied.

"Wha-?! Who would that be?"

Pausing for a moment, Tatsumi pounded his armored chest as he spoke and lifted the man up into the air with his other hand, his hand around the scouts' head.

" **That would be me. If it comes down to it, I'll face your entire army by myself before I let the likes of you take over this empire. I may not be a huge fan of the empire right now and I can even say I fucking hate it, but the emperor is still the descendant of the first emperor, who made this empire great with his own sweat and blood. If I can help it, I'll see that kid on the throne until the day I die…..but the minister DOES need to go, I'll give you guys that."**

Whimpering as Tatsumi lightly tossed him back into the forest, the man scurried off as Tatsumi's mechanical voice echoed after him.

" **Run away, scout! Tell your superiors that no army is a match for Jupiter!"**

As the scout vanished into the trees, Tatsumi sighed as he turned back and began to make his way to the capital once more.

" **Damn…I need to see if Bro is up and around when I get back…Budo and the Emperor need to be made aware of this."**

As he continued to walk, Tatsumi once again got lost in his own thoughts…

 **Not far away**

Wincing as she walked alongside the rest of Night Raid, Mine grumbled as she continued to walk.

"I'm glad I'm not dead, but…this hurts like a bitch."

Chuckling beside her, Leone spoke happily as she walked beside Najenda, Susanoo, Akame, and Lubbock as they made their way back to Night Raid HQ.

"Cheer up! Thanks to the medical support HQ sent, we managed to repair you pretty well, right?"

Grumbling under her breath even more, Mine walked on in relative silence until on a whim, she brought pumpkin up to her shoulder and scoped into a random tree on the horizon, just to make sure she still had it in her to fire her beloved Teigu, Pumpkin. But to her surprise, she saw a massive metal behemoth walking along the path that had just exited the nearby forest! Bringing her hand up to signal the group to stop, Mine spoke as she sighted the metal monstrosity.

"Wait up guys…..I think I see that metal monster that was there when I got hurt…..maybe it's the same one who you guys said killed Chelsea?"

Quickly handing pumpkin to Leone, Leone visibly tensed up as she nodded and handed pumpkin back to Mine, her teeth clenched as she spoke.

"Yea…..that's the bastard, all right. But how the hell did he get so far away from the capital in less than 24 hours…?"

Just when Najenda was about to order Night Raid to attack him, Mine spoke up once more as she sighted the metal man.

"What the hell….? Is that…? It is! Guys, it looks the Jaegars are surrounding him!"

As the others glanced down into the clearing before them, they all noticed what Mine said was correct!

 **Down in the clearing**

Glancing around as the people he had come to know over the past few weeks swarmed out of the forest and made a circle around him, Tatsumi gritted his teeth as Esdeath made her way out of the forest, followed by Bro a few seconds later as she gave orders to the Jaegers.

"Give him no quarter! He betrayed us, so kill him like the traitor he is!"

Stunned into silence as he realized Esdeath was using lies to turn the Jaegers against him, Tatsumi slowly drew his mammoth sword from his back as he spoke, his mechanical voice booming around the clearing as he did so.

" **You filthy liar! Tell them the truth, you coward!"**

Doing her best to look ignorant, Esdeath waved her dismissively as she spoke.

"Don't listen to him, my Jaegers….he's trying to mislead you!"

Growing increasingly annoyed with her words, Tatsumi planted his sword into the ground as he angrily replied.

" **You guys think I would betray you like this? Especially you, Kurome! Why would you ever think I would betray you, huh? Aren't any of you at least curious if she's lying?! Or are all of you just sheep who can't think for themselves?"**

Pausing for a moment, Run flapped Mastema's wings once as he spoke aloud.

"He speaks sense…I for one, would care to hear more of his claims before killing him. As a former teacher, I'm a good listener, after all."

As Bols, Kurome and Wave nodded agreement, Seiryuu angrily frowned and was about to order Koro to attack when she heard a whimper come from Koro! Glancing down to see Koro looking up at her with pleading eyes as if to say 'Please listen to him', Seiryuu grunted in annoyance as she spoke.

"Fine…..let's hear it."

Smiling finally under his helmet, Tatsumi nodded and began to speak.

" **Thank you. Well I'll spare you the various details of how I found out for the sake of brevity, so I'll skip right to the point…"**

Pausing for dramatic effect, Tatsumi continued.

" **Esdeath and her fucking minions burned down my village! Not a single person left alive, they killed them all, burned the houses to the ground, and salted the damn earth so nothing will be able to ever grow their for a long time! NOW YOU TELL ME IF I'M NOT ENTITLED TO A LITTLE REVENGE!"**

As everyone but Seiryuu showed visible surprise, Run rubbed his chin and spoke softly.

"I see…that makes sense. However…"

But before he could finish, Tatsumi felt his weak heart skip a beat as Kurome silently walked over beside him, speaking softly as she stood beside him with her sword drawn.

"I believe you, Tatsumi."

Smiling like an idiot inside of Jupiter, Tatsumi gently patted Kurome's head with his massive hand and dug into his belt and retrieved the necklace, then gently slipped it over her neck as he spoke.

"Thanks, Kurome…oh, I made this for you…."

Her eyes widening as she examined the golden necklace with a little golden Katana on the end of it, She smiled and slipped it into her shirt as she patted Tatsumi's chest armor.

"Thanks…I like it."

Feeling happier than he had in a while, Tatsumi's happiness was shattered as chuckled and spoke as she drew her sword.

"You'd side with that traitor, Kurome? How pathetic…"

Drawing Yatsufusa, Kurome put her snacks away as she spoke without emotion, her sword glowing purple.

"Wrong. It's just that…..someone needs to stand up for this idiot."

Before Esdeath could attack, however, Tatsumi retrieved a gleaming steel spear he had taken from one of the soldiers back in his village and called out to Bro as he tossed it over the Jaegers to him, which he caught easily.

"Bro, take this! I got a present for you!"

Catching the spear and smiling happily as he gave it a few powerful test swings, Bulat put his hair comb away as he called back to Tatsumi.

"Hey, thanks Tatsumi! Say, let me hel-"

Before Bro could off his help, however, Tatsumi shook his helmet and interrupted him.

"Bro, I need you to make your way back to Budo and the Emperor! Tell them the Revolutionary army is going to march in two days' time, and to get their asses back here!"

As everyone but Bro was stunned into immobility at this news, Bulat nodded and sheathed his spear as he turned to leave.

"Gotcha, Tatsumi! Count on me to return before long!"

Leaving the clearing with a few powerful strides, his black leather coat and green light armor underneath billowing in the wind, Bulat was gone before any of the Jaegars could even try to stop him! Finally coming to their senses, the Jaegars looked around hesitantly as Esdeath spoke.

"Is that true, Tatsumi?"

Not budging an inch, Tatsumi spoke coldly.

" **Wouldn't you like to know.** "

Sighing, Esdeath pointed her sword at Tatsumi as he spoke once more this time to the Jaegers.

" **Get out of my way, guys…..I don't want to hurt you, but….if you insist on getting in my way…"**

Pausing as he took a booming step forward, Tatsumi continued.

" **I'll kill you just like I will her. She's crossed the line this time, and I intend on making her suffer for hurting my village and friends like she has!"**

Sadly, Bols shook his head as he spoke and hefted his Teigu, Rubicante.

"I'm so sorry, Tatsumi-kun….but I have a wife and kids to look after, so I can't just go doing that kind of stuff."

As no one else made a move to help him, Tatsumi gritted his teeth as he spoke.

" **So be it…..your lives are all forfeit! I've had enough of this sort of shit, my friends dying or almost dying, or getting tortured and wrung for information…I won't stand this damn empire anymore! So I'm going to make sure I kill that bastard minister and get the emperor back on the throne, even if that throne is built on a mountain of corpses! "**

Getting into a fighting stance, Kurome nodded as she summoned a girl with dual pistols and a man with a spear.

"And I'll be there, right beside him…..waiting for the chance to finally kill my sister."

Briefly pausing as he heard Kurome's wishes once more, Tatsumi sighed but decided to bring it up later as Bols pulled the trigger on Rubicante, his voice sad as he did so.

"Sorry, Tatsumi-kun…"

Managing to step in front of Kurome as a blazing inferno sprang to life from the barrel of Rubicante and enveloped him in hellfire, all of the Jaegers, Kurome included, watched with anticipation as the burning flames rolled over Jupiter for the better part of a minute until a booming laugh could be heard as the flames went out.

" **That made me sweat a bit!"**

Turning around, his armor charred but otherwise fine, Tatsumi addressed Kurome, who was standing directly behind him.

" **You okay?"**

Nodding slowly as she stepped out into the clearing once more, Kurome avoided another blast from Rubicante and deflected a thrust from Wave and Grand chariot as she gritted her teeth.

The fight had begun.

 **Not far away**

Watching the fight with incredulous expressions on their faces, Night Raid watched as the Metal Behemoth and the girl with the Katana engaged the other Jaegars. Finally snapping out of her Stupor, Mine turned to Najenda and spoke.

"What do we do, boss? It looks like they're having some sort of in-fighting…."

Scratching her chin, Najenda turned to Susanoo and spoke.

"Susanoo…would be advantageous to us to fight?"

Remaining silent as he stared at the carnage unfolding below as flames rolled over the forest and set it alight, Susanoo spoke after a long period of silence.

"Perhaps….if we struck fast enough, the shock value would certainly let us perhaps take out a Jaegar or two. However, we must keep in mind we were ordered to return to HQ to prepare for the upcoming invasion of the capital, so It may not be within our best interests to attract attention to ourselves so soon to the final battle."

Nodding, Najenda thought to herself.

 _I hadn't thought of that…..he's right. Perhaps a simple ranged attack as we continue on our way might be better…_

Turning to Mine, Najenda spoke.

"Mine, Pick the best Target and fire for effect! But get ready to leave right after, because Susanoo's right…..we need to get going, as much as I'd love to stay and fight."

Nodding as she laid down on the ground with a bit of effort and sighted Pumpkin, Mine spoke as she took aim.

"Roger that, boss! Hrmm….who to pick, who to pick….oh, maybe the girl standing beside that dog. She looks like the less durable of the bunch."

Exhaling slowly, Mine readied herself to shoot.

 **Down in the clearing**

As He engaged Koro, Bols, and Run in battle simultaneously, Tatsumi grunted as he felt another blast of hellfire from Rubicante swirl over his armor as Koro once more attempted to pick him up in its mouth, only to feel its teeth breath against his metal armor. Beginning to sweat as his armor began to glow a dull red, Tatsumi was about to as Jupiter how much heat his armor could stand when he heard a distant noise from the nearby clifftop followed by a large beam slashing through the air straight towards Seiryuu! Turning to Koro as he felt time slow down, Tatsumi spoke to the Teigu as he saw the beam begin to flash towards them!

" **Koro, PROTECT SEIRYUU!"**

Luckily, the dog-Teigu seemed to understand and immediately turned around in an attempt to intercept the beam, but it was too late as the beam sliced through the very tip of Koro's head and entered Seiryuu's body from her upper right shoulder and exited through her left hip, her body collapsing into a heap as Koro seemed to shut down! As everyone instantly stopped fighting, Esdeath barked orders.

"Night Raid, we have uninvited Guests! FIND THEM, THE TRAITORS CAN WAIT!"

As everyone but Kurome and Tatsumi bolted into the trees towards the clifftop, Tatsumi gritted his teeth and spoke to Esdeath as she walked past him.

" **You think I'll let you go that easily?!"**

Sighing, Esdeath paused and turned to Tatsumi as she spoke.

"If you feel so inclined as to fight me, let us do it at a later time, hmm? Perhaps a time where we aren't under attack by whom I assume to be Night Raid? By all means, if you think fighting me now is what you want, then go ahead…but I know you're not as dumb as that attitude might suggest."

Clenching his fists, Tatsumi knew she was right.

 _Now isn't the time to get revenge on her…..I'm still going to fucking kill her, but….I want to make sure I can savor it. I'll wait for now…..I know Sayo wouldn't want to act like a headstrong moron right now, either…But I WILL get Ieyasu back when I get back to the capital._

Watching as Esdeath followed the Jaegers into the forest, Tatsumi turned to Kurome as she walked over to him.

" **Thanks for siding with me, Kurome."**

Sheathing her sword and munching on her snacks, Kurome turned to face the forest and spoke.

"No problem. I know you'd do the same for me."

As the Jaegers returned a few minutes later looking dejected, Run lowered himself onto the ground and spoke sadly.

"We lost them. It looks like the never planned to stick around…."

As the Jaegers gathered around, Run addressed Tatsumi.

"But Tatsumi, were you serious when you said the Revolutionary Army is going to invade the capital in two days?"

Nodding, Tatsumi replied.

"I'm afraid so, Run…..We need to get back to the capital."

As the rest of the Jaegers seemed to nod in agreement, Bols knelt down beside Seiryuu's corpse and spoke sadly, looking at the immobile Koro who was now back to tiny size.

"Poor Girl….she didn't even know what hit her."

Clenching his fist as he stared down at his teammates body, Tatsumi looked up at the sky and spoke softly, almost to himself but loud enough for the rest of the Jaegers to hear him.

" **A storm is coming…and the capital needs to prepare, lest it blown away in the process."**

No one seemed to have a reason to dispute Tatsumi's statement.

 **Hey guys, thanks for reading, as always! This wasn't quite as long as Last weeks chapter, but it contained just as much important stuff, right? Anyway, now that he figured out Esdeath had his village burned and slaughtered, not to mention the fact that Ieyasu is still alive(..?), how long will Tatsumi be able to restrain himself from snapping and attacking Esdeath? And with the brewing storm of the Revolutionary army's invasion of the capital on the horizon, will Budo and the emperor be able to reach the capital in time to help shore up the defenses of the palace? Aaah, who knows? Anyway, I appreciate you guys reading this, and I always appreciate reviews and favorites if you really liked it!**


	12. Chapter 12: The calm before the storm

**Chapter Twelve: The calm before the storm**

Standing with his burly arms crossed at the edge of King's rock, the cliff where the Emperor's hidden mansion was located, Budo was shaken from his thoughts as a messenger Pidgeon suddenly flew up and perched on his arm guard! Being careful not to crush the bird in his huge hands as he gently retrieved the small piece of parchment it was clutching between its talons, Budo gently unrolled the parchment and began to read it out loud, to no one in particular.

"To Old Man Budo…hmph."

Pausing to think that it must have been that night raid man who had been with them named Bulat who sent the Pidgeon, Budo kept reading.

"I just heard this yesterday, and since it sounded important enough to warrant your attention, I figured I'd tell you…..the Revolutionary army is going to attack the capital in two days' time."

Pausing and re-reading that last line over and over again, Budo unconsciously crushed the parchment in his hand as he felt a great well of anger building up in him. Managing to restrain himself and his anger, Budo un-crumpled the parchment and managed to continue reading it, despite his rising ire.

"Tatsumi has Esdeath dead to rights big time, so since I'm not entirely sure how well those two will be able to defend this place like this, I figured the General of the entire empire could do a better job of fortifying this place than anyone else who may or may not be here. Not sure if you should bring the emperor or not, though…Oh, I'm running out of space…..I'll keep this short, then. Return to the capital ASAP, we need you here for the building of fortifications and stuff. Oh, and to keep Tatsumi and Esdeath from destroying the entire city when they fight. Seriously, it's worrying me.

-Bulat"

Letting the Pidgeon fly away as Budo tucked the parchment in his belt and began to scratch his chin thoughtfully, he knew that if what Bulat had written down was true, then the empire most certainly _would_ be needing his help, and soon.

"I doubt that Ice woman knows much about fortifying a city…she'd probably just cover the whole damn thing in that ice of hers….."

Nodding once more, Budo was about to turn around and go tell the emperor what he had just read when he heard the young Emperor's voice from right behind him!

"I'm going with you, General. From what I just heard, my empire is dire need of its' emperor, is it not?"

Glancing down at the diminutive stature of the Emperor that was standing before him, his tiny face as proud and unyielding as steel itself, Budo sighed as he replied.

"Your dedication to your empire is admirable, your majesty, but…."

Crossing his tiny arms, the Emperor interrupted with a commanding voice that lacked even an ounce of doubt.

"You think it'd be too dangerous for me, right?"

As Budo nodded, the Emperor huffed indignantly and continued with his speech.

"Rubbish! My father always told me that an emperor shouldn't sit comfortably on the sidelines when the lives of his countrymen is in danger, so as the Emperor, am I not obligated to work just as hard as the rest of my people? I am not like that minister, you know….not anymore."

Allowing a warm smile to cross his face, Budo bowed slightly and spoke, his voice tinged with pride as he did so.

"…no, you most definitely aren't, I suppose…..not anymore. Very well then, your majesty! Shall we be off to the capital?"

Nodding as he fixed his royal hat-thingy and hopped up onto Budo's massive shoulder, the Emperor pointed his staff towards the capital far in the distance and spoke, his voice prouder and more confident than Budo had ever heard it be before.

"Of course! Let us be off, to defend the capital of my great empire!"

And so, Budo shot off like rocket, his powerful legs thundering across the plains and cliffs as he darted towards the capital…..

 **Back in the capital, Jaegar HQ**

 **"I'll ask one more time. .IEYASU?!"**

Flipping her hair arrogantly over her shoulder, Esdeath sighed and spoke with a voice dripping with boredom.

"Worry about more important things, why don't you? Like the impending invasion of the capital, perhaps?"

His giant metal fists clenching as he went silent, Tatsumi was still for a full thirty seconds before slamming his fist into a nearby wall, shattering it into powder as his voice thundered around the Jaegar's conference room.

" **WHERE THE FUCK IS HE?! IF YOU THINK I WOULD IGNORE HIM LIKE THAT UNTIL THIS BLOWS OVER, YOU'RE DEAD WRONG! I swear, I'll go out there and fucking help the revolutionary army if that's what it takes to get him back!"**

Turning around suddenly and staring into Tatsumi's armored helmet, Esdeath's voice suddenly turned ice cold as he hand went to rest on her rapier at her hip.

"Oh…? If you think I'd so easily let one of _my soldiers_ defect like that….you're wrong, boy….you're _mine._ "

Gritting his teeth under his helmet as she placed undue emphasis on the fact she thought he belonged to her, Tatsumi's voice calmed down slightly before sounding from his helmet once more.

" **And you're wrong if you think your pathetic ice can stop me. And no one owns me! The only one who even remotely has the right to talk to me like that is Kurome!"**

As Tatsumi said that, Kurome suddenly froze in the middle of eating her snacks not five feet away, her face suddenly flushed and turned as red as blood as she looked down at the ground awkwardly, embarrassed. Steam could almost been seen rising from her ears, in fact. Snorting arrogantly, Esdeath waved her hand as she replied.

"How touching, really. But I _always_ get what I want, Tatsumi… _always._ Remember that. Even If I have to pile up the bodies of every man, woman, and child in this empire to do it."

Sighing inside of his armor, Tatsumi gave a smartass reply as he took a step forward threateningly.

" **The only thing** _ **you're**_ **going to get is my ten-ton boot up your ass."**

Hearing a muted chuckle come from Bulat not far away, Esdeath's hands clenched into fists as a small ice spear appeared in midair beside her as she replied, her voice as deadly as a hurricane and cold as a glacier as she spoke.

"Oh yes, very funny….keep insulting the person who you want to give you something, Tatsumi. Just keep in mind…..I'm not going to give you _anything_ until you get down your knees, your mind broken, and swear your undying loyalty to _me_! Now get out of my sight! Or do you want Ieyasu to suffer a bit more….?"

Barely able to hold himself back from trying to kill her then and there, Tatsumi once more pulverized a nearby wall into concrete dust and stormed off, his voice seething with hatred as he left the room.

" **I'd rather die than serve a** _ **bitch**_ **like you. I'm heading out, so don't wait up for me."**

As Tatsumi thundered out of the room, no one could manage to speak for a few seconds before Esdeath returned to her normal self and barked orders at everyone present.

"Quit standing there like a bunch of idiots! You're all dismissed, and I'll call for you if any of you are required!"

As everyone present began to scatter as they were told, Bols hesitantly spoke up, his voice making everyone who had been leaving pause and listen.

"Uh….would it….perhaps be acceptable…to hold a funeral for Seiryuu, Esdeath-sama? I think it would put a lot of us at ease…"'

Stopping her movement towards the door and crossing her arms, Esdeath seemed to think for a second before casually waving her hand and continuing on her way, her voice drifting back into the room as she left.

"Do as you wish."

Looking relieved, Bols glanced around and spoke to everyone present.

"Well…does everyone want to come?"

Strangely, Doctor Stylish was the first to speak.

"Of course I do…she had many of my creations inside of her after all…I feel strangely obligated to see her off."

Next, Wave spoke.

"I didn't really speak to her much, but it wouldn't be right to ignore a comrade who died like that…..I'll go. After all, I never missed a funeral whenever I was in the navy…..and I won't now. Seaman's honor."

After him, Run spoke as he glanced out the nearby window, his voice soft and distant.

"Hmm? Oh, I suppose I'll go. I agree with Wave…..we shouldn't be so disrespectful as to not give the poor girl a funeral. The teacher inside of me feels bad for the girl…"

Finally, Kurome spoke as she gripped her sword tightly.

"Maybe. I need to go do something…..if I'm not back, don't wait up."

As she too left the room, everyone slowly turned to Bulat, who was leaning against the far wall combing his hair absentmindedly. Finally noticing that everyone was staring at him, he froze for a second before speaking in a slightly annoyed tone.

"No way, count me out. That woman was nothing but evil, from what I saw of her…..I'll pass. I'm not even a member of this peanut gallery anyway."

Thankfully, everyone seemed to accept this rather than pick a fight over it and began to discuss the details amongst themselves as Bulat thought about Tatsumi.

 _I hope that kid's okay….I miss the old Tatsumi, Naïve and carefree…I suppose this kind of thing changes a person, after all. At least he has that black haired- girl to look after him. What a lucky guy._

As Bulat returned to his thoughts, Tatsumi was about to receive a very important message….

 **Outside Jaegar HQ**

As Tatsumi barged out of the front door of Jaegar Headquarters, he paused just outside the door when he heard Jupiter speak to him from inside his helmet.

" **User's bio-signs indicate extreme stress. Relaxation is recommended."**

Letting out a long sigh and opening his clenched armored fists, Tatsumi rubbed his helmet with his armored hand as he spoke.

" **Hah…whatever. Calm down, Tatsumi….don 't let her get to you."**

Exhaling once more, Tatsumi was about to head off on a walk to nowhere in particular when he heard a familiar sound from beside him. Turning to face it, he saw Kurome standing next to him, her bag of snacks in her hand as she looked up at him and cracked a tiny smile.

"I'm following you. Last time you left like this, Esdeath said you turned traitor and we almost had to fight."

Smiling despite his best efforts under his helmet, Tatsumi replied to her.

" **Yeah, but-"**

Sadly, his words were interrupted as Kurome whacked Tatsumi's helmet with her sheathed sword, her voice firm as she spoke once more.

"Nope. I'm coming with you."

Even though Tatsumi loudly exhaled to express his pained resignation, he secretly felt sort of happy that Kurome was going this far to make sure he didn't get into trouble.

 _Or maybe she just wants to make sure she's there if I do get into trouble….._

Shrugging and banishing such thoughts from his head, he was about to head out when he remembered something important as he reached into his belt and spoke.

" **Oh yeah…..I had this made for you, Kurome."**

Extending his massive, armored gauntlet towards her, Kurome hesitantly grabbed the shining golden necklace with a golden, miniature katana dangling from the chain, her face unreadable as Tatsumi stammered to find the right words.

" **Well, Uh, that is….um, if you don't, uh…like it…"**

Moving his armored hands around to express his loss for words, Kurome finally smiled widely, a smile that was so radiant and unlike her Tastumi felt his heart skip a beat as she spoke, that big smile on her face.

"It's great…..Tatsumi."

As steam suddenly vented from either side of his helmet, Tasumi's face went red as roses inside of his helmet as he pretended to scratch his metal helmet with his armored hands and spoke.

" **Ah…..well….that is…..thanks."**

As Kurome happily hooked the necklace around her neck, Tatsumi thought to himself how great Kurome looked just now, that golden necklace around her neck, that great smile on her face…..and he accidentally thought out loud.

" **Geez….you look great, Kurome."**

Nearly leaping out of his skin when he realized he said that out loud, Tatsumi felt so embarrassed he wished his armor would just let him die right there, but thankfully Kurome took it well, turning away and returning to eating her snacks as she replied with a timid voice.

"Y-Yeah….thanks. You look….metallic? Geez, I'm not good at this kinda thing….."

As silence descended between the two of them, Tatsumi finally cleared his throat and changed the subject.

" **Well…..putting that aside…mind accompanying me for a walk?"**

Seeming thankful for the change of subjects, Kurome nodded silently and followed beside Tatsumi as the two began to walk down the streets of the capital, not really headed anywhere specific until Tatsumi realized they had somehow ended up in a park, of all things! Turning to Kurome, Tatsumi looked down and spoke to her as he had an idea.

" **Hey…..wanna relax here for a while? It's not too busy, looks like."**

Looking around, Kurome seemed to nod in satisfaction as she plopped down on the grass where she had been standing, stretching out and speaking up at Tatsumi's towering figure above her.

"Sure. Haaah….this grass is comfy."

Attempting to follow Kurome's example and plop down on the ground, sadly Tatsumi seemed to forget that a gigantic suit of mechanical armor weighing many multiple tons cannot simply 'plop' down onto the ground, so as he fell to the ground happily, a thunderous blast as loud as a sonic boom pealed over the park, nearly deafening Kurome as a plume of dirt shot into the air beside her. Once the ringing had subsided in her ears, she turned her head to see Tatsumi's armored form was laying right beside her inside of a good sized crater in the ground! Slamming Yatsufusa into his helmet, she sighed as she spoke and went back to staring at the sky peacefully.

"You big idiot."

As nervous laughter came from Jupiter, Tatsumi made no moves as he spoke beside her.

" **Yeah…that was my bad. For a moment there….I thought I was back to my old self, you know…I guess I haven't been this happy in a while."**

As that sad note seemed to crush any happiness that had been hanging around them, Tatsumi continued to talk, his metal helmet gleaming in the sunlight and not moving an inch as he did so.

" **Y'know…..I hope one day I can actually hold you with my own skin. I get that I'd die in about a minute if I left this armor….but is it wrong of me if I still consider doing it, if not to only feel you with my own two hands? Ah, that sounded weird, didn't it?"**

Chuckling softly, Kurome nodded as she replied.

"Haha….kinda. But I understand what you mean….sometimes I wish that my sister hadn't left me like she did. I think it's sort of the same as what you feel. And also….maybe one day, we can find someone or someway that will be able to change you back to normal..."

As her face flushed slightly, Kurome continued in a slightly quieter voice.

" _Because I'd like to know what you feel like too._ "

His helmet turning slightly towards her, Tatsumi was silent for a moment before speaking.

" **Now who's being weird-OUCH!"**

Instinctively moving his head back from the inside of the helmet as Kurome slammed Yatsufusa into his helmet, Tatsumi chuckled nervously as he continued.

" **Yow…..geez, sorry. If you don't mind, Kurome…what happened between you and your sister? You've talked about her a lot, but I never found out what happened to make you want to kill her….so I'd like to know…..if you don't mind, that is."**

Staring up at the sky as she munched on her snacks, Kurome shook her head side to side as she replied.

"No….I don't mind. It's not like it's some super top secret story or anything…..I just don't like talking about it."

Taking a deep breath, Kurome continued.

"Well, I'll spare some of the more gory details, but…..me and my sister where recruited into this training camp for assassins for the empire. It was brutal when they threw us in the woods with no direction, and thanks to our teamwork we managed somehow, but…I guess our teamwork had gotten noticeable by the people in charge, because they split us up not too long after that. It would be a long time before we would see each other again, and I'm pretty sure we both went through some hellish training during the time we were alone…..among other…. _things._ "

Sensing her hesitation to continue, Tatsumi gently interrupted.

" **Is it about your snacks, by any chance?"**

Looking startled, Kurome glanced over at Tatsumi and paused for a moment before nodding and continuing with her story.

"Yeah…they did some various experiments on me that happened to make me stronger…..but I also need to eat these snacks now. Sorry, I now I'm leaving a lot out…I'll tell you more later, I promise."

Sensing she was done talking for the time being, Tatsumi turned his helmet back to look at the sky as he replied.

" **It's fine…..I get it. Since you told me a little bit about yourself, I guess it's only fair if I tell you a little bit about myself, huh?"**

Raising her eyebrows as she looked over at him, Kurome listened as Tatsumi continued.

" **Well, for starters…I lived in a village to the east of the capital, in the snowy forest region. It was nice…..I had my friends Sayo and Ieyasu ever since I can remember, and since me and Ieyasu learned how to fight from the elder, that left Sayo to keep us in line. Hah…..she would always whack us on the head whenever we'd get too excited or something…..I remember her Ieyasu getting into it all the time. But…we were all still as close as family. After a while, our village began to run into money troubles when the empire hiked up taxes, so us three set off on some sort of heroic quest to gather the money to save our village, taking only our wits, minds for combat, and our awesome cooking knowledge with us. After a while, the three of got split up somehow…..and after that…"**

As Tatsumi rambled on and on for hours about his journeys since he had arrived in the capital, starting with his induction into the army and his finding Pluto in the bandit fort at the top of the cliff, not to mention falling off of it shortly thereafter, after a good couple hours had come to pass, Tatsumi's story began to wind down.

" **And that's when I learned Esdeath had ordered my village be destroyed…..the rest, you kinda know."**

Turning her gaze back up to the mid-afternoon sun, Kurome was thinking about all she had just heard when she remembered one particular detail from Tatsumi's story that interested her.

"You said you were a good cook?"

Turning to her and nodding, Tatsumi's chest puffed with pride inside of Jupiter as he replied.

" **Heck yea, I am! Ah, guess I shouldn't gloat. Sayo was probably better than me, though…and Ieyasu would also put spicy things on everything he made….haha."**

Smiling slightly, Kurome spoke again, her voice strangely happy as she did so.

"I'd like to eat something you cooked."

Thinking for a moment, Tatsumi replied.

" **Yeah….I'd like that."**

As both Tatsumi and Kurome simply stared up into the sky, not speaking at all as a sense of quiet contentment descended between them from having spoken so much, the silence was shattered as a messenger cleared his throat behind them and spoke.

"Er….sorry if I's interrupting something, you two….but I's got a message for the big metal dude."

Slowly rising to their feet, Tatsumi and Kurome dusted themselves off as Tatsumi replied to the man, grabbing the formal-looking letter the man gave to him.

" **Let me guess….the minister again?"**

The man glanced at a piece of paper that might have been the sender, and after a minute of flipping through some pages he nodded.

"Yep. He wants to see you right away, and said it's fine to bring her along too. Well, if you'll excuse me….I have other things to deliver, so I'll be off."

As the man rushed off to deliver more letters, Tatsumi sighed angrily as he turned to Kurome and spoke apologetically.

" **Sorry about this, Kurome….but the last time he summoned me, he actually gave me some useful info, so I think I should humor him again. You want to tag along?"**

Tapping the hilt of Yatsufusa lightly for a few seconds, Kurome nodded as she glanced towards the palace, not far away.

"Sure."

Adjusting the great sword that was still slung over his back, Tatsumi nodded as the two set off for the palace, to see the minister…

As the two arrived at the palace gate and showed the guards there the letter of summoning the messenger had given them, they were hurriedly escorted into the same conference room where Tatsumi had met the minister last time he had been summoned. After barely a minute had gone by, a door on the far side of the room swung open as the Minister lumbered into the room, his large body barely allowing him to pass through the door as he took a seat at the far side of the table, took a bite of the piece of beef he had in his hand and spoke.

"Oh, I see you brought a friend along this time, Tatsumi."

Tatsumi nodded absentmindedly as he responded.

" **Yeah, yeah…..what do you want in exchange for whatever you're going to tell me this time, you sad excuse for a minister?"**

Laughing as he took another bite of beef, the minister replied in that deep, strange sounding voice he had that always managed to send shivers up Tatsumi's spine when he heard it.

"Ho ho…you're quick, boy. I suppose we can cut right to the chase then…."

Taking a deep breath as if he wanted to savor what was coming next, the minister spoke a few seconds later.

"In regards to the captured friend of yours Esdeath is holding….I've managed to find where her torture dungeons are located, just for you. Ho ho ho….."

His eyes narrowing under his helmet, Tatsumi's reply was full of suspicion.

" **Don't flatter yourself, we all know that if you found that information and are willing to let me have it, it was because you wanted something in return. You're too dumb to give things away for free like that…..you always have a motive for what you do, that's the type of person you are."**

Stroking his fat chin, Honest grinned like a beast as a deep, throaty chuckle escaped from his throat as he spoke with a nod.

"Ah, you know me too well, Tatsumi…..yes, I have something I'd like you to do for me in exchange for this information. After all…..you're a most useful helper, yes…"

Feeling no small amount of disgust welling up inside of him, Tatsumi crossed his armored arms as he replied.

" **Oh, spare me the theatrics…what do you want me to do? Another favor, like last time?"**

Waving his hand dismissively, Honest smiled as he replied.

"Not this time….this time, I have something more… _visceral…_ in mind, yes."

Feeling slightly sick from seeing that smile of his, Tatsumi had a good idea where this conversation was going as he replied to the minister's words.

" **Oh? How visceral? What do I need to do? Keep in mind, I'm not going to do anything-"**

Before he could finish, Honest interrupted with a dismissive wave of his hand as he spoke.

"Oh no, _perish the thought¸_ my dear boy…what I have in mind is nothing you wouldn't want to do yourself…."

Feeling slightly relieved, Tatsumi indicated for him to continue. Stroking his chin once more, Honest seemed to be deep in thought as he continued.

"Well, you see…..I would like you to…. _deal with_ a group of fellows who have taken up residence just outside the capital, in a village of rebel sympathizers. They have some silly notion of joining up with the revolutionary army, you see….and I'm quite sure you have no intention of seeing that particular group of idiots getting any bigger, hmm?"

Strangely surprised at the seemingly simplistic job the minister had for him, Tatsumi felt like the minister was hiding something from him as he replied.

" **Yeah, if you're telling the truth…then yeah, I'd do that for you…but why do I feel like you're hiding something from me, huh?"**

His eyes narrowing as he smiled innocently, Honest merely shrugged as Tatsumi glared at him.

"Perhaps I am, perhaps I'm not. Even if I am…you don't need to know everything to complete the mission, do you? Just go to the village, do a little clean up, and come back and I'll tell you the location of Esdeath's torture dungeons. Simple, no?"

Shaking his head negative, Tatsumi spoke up suddenly.

" **No. Tell me where the dungeons are now, you conniving sack of rubbish! I can't trust you to tell me when I do this 'job' for you, can I?"**

His face instantly hardening, the minister's gaze turned as cold as ice as he replied.

"Absolutely not. Last time I helped you, I gave you the information without anything outside of your verbal promise to help me, did I not? So this time, you need to help me before I help you…life is not so easy that you can get without giving, boy."

About to open his mouth to say that wasn't related to this, Tatsumi quickly closed his mouth as he knew that the man in front of him, no matter corrupt or terrible of person he was…..he was right. Tatsumi _couldn't_ expect him to give things for free forever….no to mention, Tatsumi figured if the minister was lying to him, nothing would stop him from simply coming back and ripping the fat bastard in half. Sighing loudly, Tatsumi nodded slowly as he replied.

" **I see your point…..dammit. Fine, I'll help you out before you give me the information I need…but I have two conditions for helping you like this, with no information going in and such. "**

His eyes narrowing as he stroked his chin, Honest nodded slowly as he spoke.

"Hmmm…say these conditions, and perhaps I can accommodate you. After all, I did not get this far without learning how to make a fair deal, hmm?"

Not even bothering to argue with everything wrong in his statement, Tatsumi clenched his fists to calm down as he replied.

" **One…..I want you to tell the location of the dungeons to Kurome before I do this mission of yours, just to have her verify it's a real location. I won't make her tell me or anything, I just want insurance you aren't lying. Condition two…whenever I rescue Ieyasu, and I will, I want you to assist him in becoming strong enough to fight Esdeath. Maybe showing him the Teigu you have here in the palace, or finding him a swordsmanship trainer…I don't care, I just want to help him get stronger to get the revenge I know he's going to want."**

A low rumble escaping his fat throat, the minister seemed to be thinking for a few minutes before slamming a fist into his palm and speaking happily.

"I agree to your conditions, boy…..they are reasonable enough. Oh, but I'll only tell this girly here the name of the district where it's located…that'll be enough for her to verify its location, right? And In regards to making your friend stronger, we have a substantial amount of Teigu here in the vault that I would be happy to show to him, and if that doesn't work…we can always get a swordsmanship trainer, as you say."

Feeling his doubts subside a little, Tatsumi nodded and shook the minister's outstretched hand as he spoke.

" **Good…this settles it then. Oh, but can you write up a written copy of this agreement? I want written proof of this, so you can't worm your way out of it!"**

Blinking his eyes in surprise a few times, the minister suddenly let out a loud, bellowing laugh that seemed to make the chair he was sitting in rumble as he spoke between laughs.

"Hohohohoho! Oh….you surprise me, boy! To think you had such a sense for business…..you're a boy after my own heart, you are! You may even be a good minister to replace me when I die! Hohohoho!"

Feeling that same feeling of disgust welling up inside of him as the minister began to write on a piece of parchment, Tatsumi mumbled a response barely loud enough for the minister to hear.

" **Yea, no…I'm getting sick just thinking about it."**

After finishing writing the document, the minister tossed it over to Tatsumi, who caught it and slipped it into his belt as he spoke.

" **So where's the village? Oh, and Kurome come along on this? I assume so, right?"**

Nodding, the minister spoke.

"Yes, of course…and the village is located to the south-east of the capital, in a small forest there….now, young lady…let me tell you the name of the district, as we promised…"

Nodding and soundlessly moving beside him, Kurome shivered slightly as the minister whispered into her ear, but after he was done she returned to Tatsumi's side and glanced up at his helmet and nodded.

"It's good."

Nodding in satisfaction, Tatsumi turned and began to leave, calling out to the minister as he swung the exit door open.

" **We'll be back….and you better have that information for us."**

Waving his hand slowly as the door swung shut, the minister leaned back in his chair and chuckled softly as he spoke to no one in particular.

"Oh ho ho…no worries, my dear boy…I want to see her dead as much as you do. One less obstacle in my way, yes….hohohohoho…."

 **An hour later, outside the capital**

As they bid the guards at the gate farewell and pass into the world beyond the capital, Tatsumi and Kurome began their short journey to the small forest that sprouted in the distance, where the supposed rebel village was. As they walked along in relative silence, Tatsumi spoke to no one in particular, as if giving voice to his thoughts.

" **Makes me wonder if we're going to find Night Raid here….god, that's the last thing I need right now…."**

As silence once more descended between them, Kurome swallowed the snack she had been munching on and nodded, speaking to break the silence.

"We can handle them."

Surprised by her positive words, Tatsumi glanced down at her and nodded.

"… **.yeah, I'm sure you're right. They probably don't like me much after I ripped that one bitch in half right in front of them, though….hah, good times."**

Surprised that he thought tearing someone in half was 'Good Times', Tatsumi briefly realized just how much he had changed since he had left his village, and how much different he might seem once he rescued Ieyasu.

 _Come to think of it, maybe Ieyasu has changed….I wouldn't blame him if he hated Esdeath with all his being now….I could sympathize with a burning, all consuming rage for that bitch, I think._

Smiling under his helmet as his thoughts drifted to brutally murdering Esdeath together with Ieyasu, Tatsumi accidentally voice his thoughts as he walked.

"… **.Yeah, murdering her would be a nice reunion outing with Ieyasu…..sounds fun. Maybe bro would like to get in on it….."**

Not realizing he had spoken his thoughts out loud, the two walked in silence for a while until Kurome spoke.

"I assume you're talking about Esdeath?"

Feeling embarrassed once he realized he had just spoken out loud, Tatsumi rubbed his helmet with his armored hand as he spoke.

" **Yeah. Guess I spoke what I was thinking without realizing it."**

Just like Tatsumi figured, Kurome merely nodded in acceptance of what Tatsumi said, as if to say 'Sure, sounds good to me, go ahead and kill her'. Chuckling inadvertently, Kurome glanced up at him and spoke.

"What's so funny?"

Calming himself down as the two approached the boundary of the forest, Tatsumi spoke as they passed between the outer layers of trees.

" **Ah, nothing…..I was just thinking about how that was just like you, nodding like nothing was wrong when I mentioned wanting to murder Esdeath. She is our commander, after all…..no matter how much I hate her. Ah, but that's what I love about you, you know…..you're always so…..cool, I guess."**

As Kurome briefly turned her head away from him and looked like she wanted to say something, Jupiter blared a warning on the inside of Tatsumi's helmet, meaning he didn't hear whatever she said as he focused on Jupiter's voice inside his helmet.

"Geez…..you always catch me off guard like that…how am I supposed to respond?"

Sadly, Tatsumi didn't hear her, as he was listening to Jupiter.

 _ **Warning. Two lifeforms were detected many miles back, and have been following this unit ever since. Possible hostiles.**_

As Jupiter brought up a view of two human-shaped shadows darting through the trees behind them, Tatsumi briefly caught a glimpse of the Minister's seal on their chests and sighed as he replied to Jupiter inside his helmet.

"No worries, they're probably just here to supervise us…to make sure we really kill them, or something…seriously, that minister is too fucking devious for his own good. I can see why everyone wants him dead."

Putting the two people trailing them aside, Tatsumi once again returned his focus to the outside world once more just in time to see the village come into view just beyond the tree him and Kurome were standing behind. Looking down at her and seeing she had already drawn Yatsufusa, Tatsumi turned on the switch that would broadcast his voice to the outside once more as he whispered to Kurome.

" **You stay here, I'll go out and-ow!"**

Recoiling as Kurome whacked his helmet with Yatsufusa, Tatsumi was rubbing his ringing helmet to quiet it as Kurome turned to him and spoke, her voice firm.

"Nope. I'm coming with you."

Finally stopping his ringing helmet, Tatsumi whispered his objections to her.

" **Don't give me that, it might get dange-okay, okay! Fine, you can come!"**

Wisely halting his sentence when Kurome raised Yatsufusa to whack him in the helmet again, Tatsumi huffed indignantly as he whispered once again.

" **Geez…..you're like my mom."**

As Kurome nodded in satisfaction and turned her gaze back to the village where multiple soldiers who had clearly gone rogue from their look were talking to each other, she snapped a retort at Tatsumi, who was watching the village beside her.

"Not my fault you're too stupid to function properly without me."

Deciding not to debate the validity of that statement, Tatsumi sighed in resignation and spoke once more, making sure not to say anything that would piss her off as he did so.

" **So how do you want to do this?"**

Suddenly standing up and walking out into the village and towards the rebel soldiers, Kurome gave a simple reply as she brandished Yatsufusa, killing intent radiating from her in all directions as she did so.

"Simple. We go out there and kill them."

Letting his palm rise and strike his faceplate in exasperation, Tatsumi rose up to his full, majestic height of almost twelve feet and drew the massive sword on his back known as 'The Steel Splitter' as he walked into the village, replying to Kurome's words as he did so.

" **Haaaah…I suppose the simple way is the best, then."**

Ignoring the attacks of a few soldiers who had charged out of a nearby hut, Tatsumi found himself watching as Kurome summoned a few zombie-people from her sword and began to slaughter everything in sight, her movements flowing like water as she slit their throats and cut them up. For a moment, Tatsumi thought them she could even make murdering people look good, and lost himself in admiration. Once again, Tatsumi found himself speaking his thoughts out loud as he stared down at the soldiers attacking him, a big grin on his face inside his helmet as he spoke.

" **Isn't she great?"**

Reaching his arm out, grabbing the nearest man and tossing him up in the air, Tatsumi cleaved him half with his sword and managed to let the sword fall perfectly onto the head of another Soldier who had just walked out, a straight razor in his hand and half of his hairy face shaved as the sword cleanly split him in half and demolished the house he had just left! As the other two soldiers got inside his guard where he could no longer use the sword due to its size, Tatsumi ejected one of his wrist blades and impaled both of them in the same thrust, lifting them up in the air as he easily tore them in half with his other hand, red coloring his armor as he let what was left of them fall to the ground. Glancing over to Kurome just in time to see her killing the last solider who came charging out to greet them, the two met up in the middle of the small, makeshift village as Kurome spoke.

"This isn't right…there should be more of them."

Glancing around and figuring she was probably right, Tatsumi scratched his helmet and replied.

" **Think they're hiding in the houses?"**

Nodding as the two silently went door to door using Tatsumi's sword and a massive Danger beast Kurome summoned to demolish them one by one, the two found no one inside any of the ten or so houses in the village until they came upon what looked to be the town hall. As Kurome looked to Tatsumi and nodded, the two communicated silently as Tatsumi raised his sword high above his head, ready to strike the building. Just as he was about to bring his massive sword down on the town hall and demolish it as Kurome and her massive Danger beast friend watched his back, a sound like the one Tatsumi had heard seconds before Seiryuu had gotten shot was heard in the distance! His body instantly on alert and his hair standing on end, Tatsumi's instincts reacted before he did, moving Jupiter in front of Kurome just in time to feel a laser blast slam into his chestplate like a cannon blast, sending him into a brief daze as several more Lasers rained down on his armor from the same direction. Finally realizing what was going on after a second had passed, Kurome's massive danger beast stepped in front of Tatsumi and shielded him from the lasers, letting out a feral roar as a blast of sickly purple goop shot from its mouth towards the origin of the laser fire, splashing against the trees not far away. Watching as the trees melted from the acid, Tatsumi finally managed to silence his ringing helmet and bring his senses back to reality as Kurome spoke to him, her sword drawn as dozens of well-equipped rebel soldiers poured into the clearing, followed by a group of people they couldn't mistake….Night Raid!

"You okay?"

Looking to her and nodding as the ringing in his ears stopped, Tatsumi replied shakily.

"Y-…Yeah."

Readying her sword as the two were surrounded, the massive danger beast roaring in defiance, Kurome spoke once more in voice so serious it could have cut through metal.

"Then let's clean up this trash, and go save your friend."

Tatsumi grinned as he charged into the ensuing chaos.

 **Just outside the village, a few minutes earlier**

Being careful not to make any sudden movements that could make any noises that may give away her position, the newly recovered Mine was grumbling to herself as she looked through the scope on her pumpkin at the two Jaegars who had arrived in the village not far away.

"Just managed to patch me up….sending me back out here….grrr…."

Silently chuckling beside her, Leone gently patted Mine's head as she spoke, watching Akame and Lubbock slowly moving into position alongside Najenda as she did so.

"Quit grumbling, you. Look, only two of them showed up! That means….we got the advantage, right?"

Taking another look at the armored Behemoth and the girl who looked like Akame as they fought the decoy guards, Mine grumbled again as she remembered something.

"Doubt it…..that big metal guy looks like's worth at least three people. Besides, isn't that….?"

As she trailed off, Leone nodded gravely.

"Yeah…..that's him. The bastard who ripped Chelsea in half right in front of us. So even if he may have been one of us at some point, we can't just think of our orders on this one…..it's personal. So let's tear these Jaegars apart, okay?"

Nodding resolutely, Mine trained her scope on the girl besides the armored man they had once known as Tatsumi, her finger resting on pumpkin's trigger as she awaited the signal to fire from the boss. Just as she had trained her scope on the girl's head like she had with the other bitch she had killed not long before, Najenda, who was standing just up ahead on the border of the village, finally turned around and gave the signal to attack! Feeling Leone tap her on the shoulder to signal her to fire, Mine grinned as she spoke once more before firing.

"This one's for Chelsea, you Jaegar sons of bitches….."

As she pulled the trigger and watched a single laser beam lance out straight for the girls head, Mine's mouth went agape as Tatsumi somehow stepped in front of the shot in the span of a half-second, managing to intercept her shot! Her fist tightening around the handle, Mine squeezed off several more shots at the Armored monstrosity, and grinned as she watched it teeter on its feet momentarily, giving her enough time to set up for her next shot as the rest of her companions charged into the village….

 **Down in the village**

Glancing around at their assailants, Tatsumi wordless ejected his wrist blades with a loud _CHINK,_ his hand resting on his sword as he spoke.

" **Long time no see, guys…how long has it been? Oh yeah, about since I tore that one red-orange haired girl in half, right? Or was it pink hair? Ah, good times…."**

Grinning to himself as he watched Leone's fists tighten in anger, Tatsumi listened as she shot an angry retort back at him.

"Shut up, Tatsumi! I'm gonna pound your head into powder for that, just you watch!"

Letting loose a hearty laugh, Tatsumi spread his arms wide as he replied in an arrogant tone of voice, pounding his chest plate once as he began to reply.

" **Try it! You think your attacks can hurt me inside of Jupiter?! Hah! Go ahead and attack me, throw your entire being at me with all your might, try your hardest to take me down, just like a tiny pebble trying to fell a mighty castle wall!"**

This time, as Leone's face contorted in anger, it was Najenda who replied as she stood behind Susanoo, her face stern.

"Take them down, Night Raid!"

Letting out a crazed laugh as all of Night Raid leapt at him and Kurome at once, Tatsumi perfectly intercepted Leone's bullet leap towards him with his armored boot, Giving out a mighty yell as he Sparta-kicked her back into a tree with the force of a thunderclap, turning perfectly to deflect Susanoo's calculated strike to his helmet. As their blades briefly struggled for dominance, Tatsumi managed to turn his head slightly and see Akame and Kurome going at it alone with all their might, making him grin as everyone else attacked him.

" **I'm touched, getting all this attention. Honestly-"**

Halting his sentence as Leone's fist slammed into his armored side, he was about to taunt them once again when suddenly alarms began blaring inside of his helmet, Jupiter's shrill voice nearly deafening him as flashing displays lit up all along the inside of his helmet.

" _ **Warning! Foreign objects have pierced the outer shell! WARNING! Foreign objects in danger of threatening the driver!"**_

Just when he was about to ask what was going on, he felt a veritable torrent of threads envelop his neck and body as Lubbocks satisfied voice sounded from behind him!

"Looks like there's some gaps in that armor after all….come on out and play, Tatsumi!"

Feeling Lubbock's strings worming their way inside of his skin and through his blood vessels as they tried to go straight for his heart, steam suddenly vented from multiple points on Jupiter's armor as it once again blared warnings , this time not only inside of his helmet but to the outside world as well.

" _ **Warning! Driver unable to respond!"**_

Laughing as he felt his strings worming their way into Tatsumi's body, Lubbock shouted back a reply as he continued to manipulate Cross Tail's strings.

"Damn right he is, you pile of scrap!"

But as the sound of grinding gears and pistons firing on all cylinders could be heard from the armor as steam vented from it once more, the same voice once more came from the helmet, but this time….it sounded more serious.

" _ **Analysis…...complete. Driver unable to respond….assuming direct control. Preparing to subjugate all targets…."**_

His eyes widening as he felt his strings being cut one by one as the armor began to lock down all openings to the outside, Lubbock gritted his teeth as he spoke.

"Fuck! It's locking me out...I'll at least do some damage before you lock me out, you bastard!"

As he felt the strings he had wrapped around Tatsumi's heart get cut almost immediately, Lubbock managed to use the last of the strings that hadn't been cut to crush the first thing he felt them come into contact with before the armor finally cut the last of his strings. Taking a step back as the armor brandished its wrist blades and spoke, Lubbock looked on cautiously as it continued to slowly head towards him.

" **Ouch man, that hurt….I think you fuckin' crushed one of my kidneys! Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuckin hell…..Ouch!"**

As the various members of Night Raid that had gathered around Tatsumi glanced at each other as various drill noises came from the armor, they could only listen as Tatsumi spoke again.

" **I'm already technically dead, so popping the kidney of a dead man…doesn't do much, huh? Not much you can do to hurt a dead man, after all."**

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Lubbock quickly made a sword of his strings as he replied.

"Yeah, I forgot about that…..should have crushed that tiny brain of yours."

As a chuckled escaped Jupiter, Tatsumi nodded as he readied his wrist blades and sword.

" **Probably the only way to end this pathetic life of mine at this point, really. Sadly, you lost your chance….and now you're gonna pay for it!"**

However, just as Tatsumi was about to attack, the armor's voice once more echoed inside of Tatsumi's helmet.

" _ **Unacceptable. Driver status…..heavy internal bleeding. Combat not recommended."**_

Sighing in annoyance, Tatsumi halted his forward movement and addressed Jupiter inside of his helmet.

"It's just a kidney, Jupiter. I'm not gonna die agai-"

Apparently not, because Jupiter's voice blared back in his ear louder than ever and interrupted his sentence.

" _ **The Primary function of this armor is the preservation of the driver's life, not combat. Do not forget the Driver's life outside of this armor would wither and die in a matter of minutes. To this end, the driver is suspended from control until their life is once more secure. Excuses will not be tolerated."**_

Feeling himself suddenly lose control as the armor began to move on it's own, Tatsumi angrily sighed and was about to order the armor to let him fight when his vision suddenly went fuzzy!

"Uhhhhh….wha-?"

As if to respond to his half-baked question, the armor's voice sounded in his ear.

" _ **User's internals are rapidly filling with blood from multiple severed blood vessels in addition to the missing vital organ. Lack of consciousness is unavoidable."**_

Realizing his condition might be a little more serious that he thought, Tatsumi woozily replied to the armor's voice as he struggled to remain consciousness.

"Is….it lethal?"

Feeling the armor retract the wrist blades and return the sword to his back, Tatsumi listened as it replied.

" _ **The possibility of the medical functionality of this armor being unable to prevent the death of the driver in the middle of combat is less than two percent. Out of combat, this percentage rises significantly."**_

Tatsumi barely managed to sqeak out a few more words as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"Ah…just…don't….leave…Kurome."

As Tatsumi finally passed out, the armor spoke in his ear once more, despite the fact he could no longer reply.

" _ **Affirmative."**_

As Kurome and Akame continued to go at each other with killing intent, they both stopped when they heard Jupiter's mechanical voice boom over the clearing.

" **Initiating strategic plan 27…..'Run for the hills'."**

Just when they were about to ask what the heck that meant, Kurome yelped as Jupiter grabbed her by the waist and began to run out of the clearing at top speed! As the wind whipped past them and the surprised cries of Night Raid could be heard behind them as they tried to give chase, Kurome yelled at Jupiter's helmet as she struggled to escape its iron grip.

"What are you doing, Tatsumi?! My sister was-"

Surprisingly, it wasn't Tatsumi who answered her.

" _ **The driver known as 'Tatsumi' is in critical condition. Without the immediate and full attention of this armor, his life will be extinguished."**_

Her body going stiff like a bolt of lightning had just hit her, Kurome went silent for a minute as they continued to run through the trees frantically, Jupiter's thunderous footfalls sounding around the forest like bomb blasts as Leone managed to catch up to them!

"…..what?! Is he oka-"

As Jupiter expertly avoided a blow from Leone and blasted through the trunk of tree without even dodging, it turned its helmet towards her briefly and spoke.

" _ **He can be saved. But this armor cannot fight and save his life at the same time…so in the absence of the driver, this armor has made the decision to retreat to a safe place."**_

Watching as they emerged from the forest and continued to thunder across the plain at full speed, Kurome suddenly had an idea, so she turned to Jupiter and spoke once more.

"How long do you need to save him?"

After a brief silence, the armor spoke back.

" _ **Impossible to determine. Likely no longer than ten minutes."**_

Gritting her teeth, Kurome replied urgently as she watched all of Night Raid charge out of the forest, hot on their trail!

"I can defend you until you save him. Stop here! If go any farther, he'll die before even get to a safe place!"

After two full seconds, the armor nodded and skidded to a screeching halt as it replied.

" _ **Understood. Jupiter will go into a full system shut down until the process is complete….please refrain from death. This one's driver seems fond of your existence."**_

As Jupiter went silent and immobile, Kurome drew her sword and summoned her best monsters from it, her voice firm as she spoke.

"You won't get past. I'll stop you here!"

And with that, Kurome started her desperate battle to save Tatsumi's life.

 **A few miles to the south**

As his powerful legs continued to carry himself and his passenger towards the imperial Capital at almost 50 miles per hour thanks to his lightning speed, Budo spoke to the Emperor on his shoulder as he ran.

"Your majesty…..what will you about the Minister when we return?"

As they ran in silence for about four minutes, the Emperor finallt replied in a firm voice.

"I'll have him thrown in the dungeons. We'll execute him and show the populace that I'm going to be the emperor they deserve! That's good, right?"

Smiling to himself as his lightning-yellow hair blew in the wind, Budo ran in silence for two minutes before he replied softly.

"Superb, your majesty."

After a minute had passed, Budo was forced to a halt as a piercing roar shot over them! His eyes narrowing, Budo dashed forward once more in an effort to determine where that danger beast like roar had come from when he came upon a scene he hadn't expected to find out here: he saw a little girl in black and red, blood trickling down her face and soaking into her clothes, defending what was most certainly a huge suit of armor, standing motionless on the plains. Having no idea what was going on, he glanced over to who the girl was fighting and instantly recognized them, but the emperor somehow beat him to the punch.

"General Budo, look! It's night raid!"

Nodding his head as he prepped his Teigu Adramelech, Budo narrowed his eyes as his replied to the Emperor.

"Yes….it most certainly is. Should I help the girl, your highness?"

After a brief silence, the emperor nodded and spoke above him.

"Anyone who that despicable bunch of assassins wants to kill must be an ally of ours, General! KILL THEM ALL!"

Grinning as he slammed his fists together and produced a miniature lightning storm, Budo nodded.

"Gladly."

Kurome had been holding out for nearly six or seven minutes, but she was nearing her limit. She had already summoned Desta-Ghoul, the strongest Danger Beast in her arsenal, not to mention all the strongest people she had besides that, but the moment Desta Ghoul died around the five minute mark, She knew it was only a matter of time. Her face bloody from a near-miss from a laser blast, she felt her legs about to give out from the pain, but she gritted her teeth and fended off another volley of slashes from her sister.

"You'll….never…get to him!"

Still managing to be defiant even as her strength left her, Kurome saw another volley of laser blasts headed her way and figured she'd go down fighting when suddenly, her vision went white as a large explosion rang out right in front of her! Opening her eyes to see a veritable mountain of a man standing in front of her, she glanced up to see Grand General Budo of all people staring back at her, the emperor on his shoulder!.

"Who are you, little miss?"

Recovering from her shock fairly quickly, Kurome replied as Budo blocked another round of attacks from Night Raid.

"We're with….the Jaegars. Under….Esdeath."

Seeing his face contort into a frown, Kurome thought he was going to abandon her for a second, but her worries were erased by what he said next.

"Hmph. Better than rebels, I guess. You head on back, little miss….I'll take out the garbage real quick."

Shaking her head side to side, she gestured back to Jupiter as she replied, her voice cracking as she barely managed to stay upright.

"No! That armor….it can't move for two more minutes."

His face contorting into a frown once again, Before Kurome could even stop him he picked her up with his free hand, set on top of Jupiter, and grinned as he lifted up Jupiter with one hand!

"Oh….no problem. You need to get back to the capital, I'm guessing? Have a nice….trip!"

Grunting as he tossed Jupiter with all his might towards the capital in the distance with his superhuman strength and slammed a ball of lightning into it to make it fly farther, once he confirmed it landed within the city limits he turned back to Night Raid and glanced at them with an impassive face, his massive shoulder pauldrons falling to the ground as he unlatched them.

"Now…who's next?"

 **In the skies above the capital**

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

As a scream that she had never, ever, ever let out before escape her lips the moment that Budo had tossed them both like children towards the capital, Kurome was holding on to Jupiter for dear life as they hurdled through the air, her eyes closed tight as they hurdled towards the palace courtyard. When they were just about to crash into the ground, Jupiter suddenly began moving again just in time as Tatsumi's voice filled Kurome's ears!

" **Wha…..i'm ali-HOOOOOOOOO SHIITTTTTTTT! HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN AGAIIIIIIIIIIIIIN"**

Shifting his armored body in an effort to shield Kurome from the impact of the landing, the two slammed into the grass of the palace courtyard with a BANG, sending a plume of dust into the air almost as a quarter as tall as the palace itself!

After a few minutes, the dust finally cleared and the guards who had come to the impact site, drawn by the massive explosion and slightly worried Night Raid had somehow learned to fly, looked down into the crater to see a massive armored figure with its arms wrapped around a much smaller girl. Thankfully, the girl seemed to be unharmed from the landing as she shakily rose to her feet. As she stumbled out of the crater only to collapse on the ground a few seconds later, the guards quickly realized from her looks and outfit she was one of the Jaegars, and whenever they saw the blood streaming down her face and her injuries all over, the captain among them quickly took command of the situation.

"Oi, go get the medical team! This one needs immediate medical attention!"

As his subordinates quickly moved to carry out his orders, they returned their glances to the crater before them as the metal behemoth began to move, rising to its full height and rubbing its helmet as a voice was heard from it.

" **Ugh…..what** _ **is**_ **it with me and falling from high places? I swear…."**

As the metal monster seemed to look around and realize it was in the palace courtyard, its right hand seemed to touch its chest as it mumbled something.

" **Doesn't hurt…..huh."**

Inside of his helmet, Tatsumi spoke to Jupiter.

"Jupiter…..did you fix me?"

After an affirmative beep, Jupiter's voice could be heard in Tatsumi's ear.

" _ **Affirmative."**_

Feeling slightly relieved, Tatsumi continued his inquiry.

"…..how?"

It wasn't long before he got a reply.

" _ **The already-taxed onboard medical functions of this armor proved unable to fully save the Driver. Technology was not advanced enough to support the drivers' life, and fix such a level of damage. As such….the Driver was made to partially merge with Jupiter."**_

Feeling slightly unnerved at hearing he may or may not have merged with this suit of armor, Tatsumi worriedly asked what it meant.

"….what? What does that mean?"

After some silence, the voice once again sounded in his ear.

" _ **In the event of the medical systems being unable to sustain the life of the driver, orders are present which instruct how to merge parts of this armor with the Driver to perform the functions the Driver's body no longer can."**_

Feeling he was beginning to grasp what had happened, Tatsumi worriedly continued his questioning as the guards in front of him experimentally began to knock on his armor.

"Wha…? So….does that mean the armor is pumping my blood now?"

After a short beep, the voice responded.

" _ **Affirmative. The process is rudimentary, but suitable for long-term preservation of the Driver's life. Due to this, the onboard wrist blades are unable to be used, as doing so would overtax the healing systems, thus endangering the Driver's life. Please keep this in mind in the future."**_

Feeling slightly sad that his combat capabilities had fallen yet happy he was still alive somehow, Tatsumi mumbled to himself as he thought about what the machine had said.

"Who the hell gave you the orders telling you to do that..?

Somehow, the machine seemed to think he was talking to it, and gave him a reply.

" _ **Our creator. He left this one orders for every scenario, to ensure Jupiter can always fulfill its primary function."**_

Knowing where the conversation was going, Tatsumi decided to respond anyway as he ignored the yells of the guards as they rapped on his faceplate.

"Which is…?"

Strangely, the machine replied in a voice that sounded somehow… _proud._

" _ **The preservation of the Drivers life at all costs. Such is the primary function of this Teigu…."Jupiter, the living tomb." Even if a state of immobility would be required to save the drivers life, it would be done in a heartbeat…everything else is secondary."**_

Nodding, Tatsumi gave a final reply as he turned to the guards, finally moving after a few minutes of seemingly immobility.

"Well…..guess that's fair. Not like I wanna die again, anyway…keep up the good work…..I guess…?"

Giving a beep, the machine replied in a curt tone.

" _ **Affirmative."**_

Finally turning his attention to the guards surrounding him, Tatsumi spoke to them with worry in his voice as he realized Kurome wasn't with him.

" **Where did she go..?"**

Seeming to realize this metal man was part of the Jaegars too, the guards saluted smartly as their captain replied.

"Sir! We carried her off to the infirmary!"

Feeling strangely itchy upon hearing the formality the guards displayed towards him, Tatsumi nodded hesitantly and continued.

" **G-Good. Now then, I need to go see the minister. Excuse me."**

Giving a slightly delayed salute as he walked away, he heard the Guard Capital give a smart reply as they returned to their post.

"Sir!"

 **Inside the palace**

Entering the same conference he had just been in not a few hours before, Tatsumi looked at the minister, who was sitting in the chair, and let out a surprised yell as he saw a fresh-looking Kurome standing beside him!

" **Wha…? How….?"**

Stopping in the middle of eating a snack, Kurome turned to look up at him and grinned ever so slightly as she replied.

"I'm tougher than I look."

After Tatsumi stared at her for a few seconds, she sighed and spoke again.

"….and Stylish was here by chance, so he fixed me up."

Nodding happily, Tatsumi turned back to the minister and spoke.

" **Well, we killed everyone who was in the village…..guess we got ambushed by Night Raid, but we still did it. Time you gave me the location of Esdeath's dungeons, right?"**

Giving them a long, over exaggerated nod, the minister slipped them a piece of paper as he grinned devilishly.

"Yes yes, good job you two. I had figured the report I got from my scouts when they found village to be a rebel ambush of sorts…but to think Night Raid was waiting…interesting. In any case, you performed splendidly from what my scouts who were watching you told me."

Clenching his fists slightly upon hearing the minister had suspected it was a trap, Tatsumi picked up the piece of paper before he lost his temper and handed it to Kurome.

" **Is that a real place? I don't know the capital well?"**

Her eyes reading over the address the minister had written down, Kurome glanced back up at Tatsumi and nodded as she slipped the piece of paper in her pocket.

"Mmm. In the slums…..abandoned house, if I remember correctly."

As the two moved to leave, Tatsumi paused as he held the door open for Kurome, his voice directed towards the minister sounding from his helmet.

" **Don't forget your promise. I want help finding a way to get Ieyasu stronger when I save him."**

Waving his hand dismissively, the minister replied casually as he got up to leave the room.

"Oh, I remember. No worries my boy…..I'll make sure to procure the most…. _interesting_ ways to get your friend stronger before you even get back. Hohoho…"

As he left the room, Tatsumi felt a shiver run up his spine as he mumbled to himself and shut the door behind him.

" **Creepy fucker."**

 **The slums, northeast district of the capital**

As Tatsumi and Kurome stood in front of the abandoned house the minister had directed them to, the nighttime moonlight shining off Tatsumi's armor as he mumbled to himself as he wondered about what time it was.

" **Just past midnight…..only two days left until the rebel army attacks."**

Looking over at Tatsumi, Kurome followed him as the two of them walked into the abandoned house, Tatsumi's voice sounding once again as he spoke.

" **Now let's go save Ieyasu."**

 **Well, the next chapter's finally here, guys! Yeah, so some stuff about school came up last month that ended up preventing me from writing anything until a week or so ago, sorry about that. I'll spare you from going about my personal life, but from now on I'll try to keep up with the weekly updates as much as I can. Not sure how much I can do that when Fallout 4 comes out though…I'll be busy, I think. Anyway, only two days left until the Rebels army attacks, and with Tatsumi and Kurome about to Save Ieyasu and Budo and the Emperor just back in the capital after skirmishing with night raid…..what'll happen next? Hope you liked it, I tried to make it pretty long to make up for the wait! As always, reviews and favorites are always appreciated.**


	13. Chapter 13: Bidding Farewell to the Past

**Chapter Thirteen: Bidding Farewell to the past**

 **XXXX**

 **A few weeks earlier**

"Just admit it, you blockhead. We're lost."

Sighing as she followed just a few feet behind one of her childhood friends, Sayo tiredly spoke to him, her feet aching from walking.

"We're not lost! I'm just takin' a really long detour, got it?"

Refusing to admit the hopeless of his own situation, Ieyasu shoved his hands into his pockets and spat his reply back towards Sayo's voice as he continued to walk, glancing at the endless trees around them as he did so.

"Oh..? Well, this detour of yours is a little _too_ long _,_ wouldn't you agree? I mean, since you've _clearly_ always loved to look at trees I can understand, but walking like this for almost four days now is pushing things, right?"

Stopping in his tracks for a moment, Ieyasu rubbed his head and seemed to grunt softly before speaking once more, his voice soft.

"Yea, whatever. So what, we're lost. We can hunt well enough to survive, so there's no pro-"

Before he could finish, Sayo promptly knocked him on the head and began to scold him, which somehow reminded them both of old times.

"Don't even say that! We lost Tatsumi _four days ago,_ and since he's probably gotten off to god knows where by himself, don't you think we should be trying to look for him? He's hopeless by himself, you know!"

Rubbing his head where Sayo had whacked him, Ieyasu turned around and grinned as he replied, his face back to its normal, cheerful self.

"He'll be fine, I trust Tatsumi to do what needs to be done! He's a survivor, y'know? We all are. You should know that too, Sayo…..you grew up with us, so…..put a little more faith in your friends, will ya?"

Putting her hands on her hips as if she was about to give him the scolding of a lifetime, Sayo seemed to only sigh in resignation and wave her hand dismissively as she spoke.

"Hah…..fine. Lead on then, Captain…"

And so, the two continued their journey to get to the capital, and hopefully meet up with Tatsumi.

 **A Few Days later**

Finally standing just inside the gate of the Imperial Capital, Sayo and Ieyasu couldn't help but let out awed gasps as they stared at all the goings-on around them. With people moving in and out of buildings, buildings much, much taller than any they've seen before…to them, it was a wonderous place, much different from their village where they had grown up. Of course, they had heard stories about it a few times, but

"Man, stories can't do this place Justice! This is awesome! I bet they have all kinds of wicked swords here, not to mention the babe-"

WHACK!

Rubbing his head, Ieyasu felt a shiver run up his spine as he heard the voice of a demon behind him.

"I…e….ya…..su!"

Turning around slowly to see a devil with her hand still straight from chopping him upside the head, Ieyasu pretended to laugh as he meekly responded.

"Ha…haha….uh….Sayo..? Please stop that. You're scary when you get mad, you know!"

Watching as she stared at him for a few seconds longer, Ieyasu let out a relieved sigh when she lowered her hand and spoke.

"You and Tatsumi, seriously…you guys would be hopeless without me around! Anyway, I know we came here to find Tatsumi, but…I thought about what you said, and I don't think Tatsumi would be mad if we enjoyed ourselves a little bit with the money we made doing odd jobs on the way here, right?"

Grinning, Ieyasu couldn't help but clap Sayo on the back excitedly as the two of them headed down the street.

"Aww yea! We're gonna have fun today~"

As Ieyasu walked in front of Sayo, happily singing to himself as he thought about all the things he wanted to look at, the things he wanted to buy, and the food he could find here in the capital, he quickly realized he had made a fatal mistake when he felt himself run into someone in front of him.

He hadn't been looking where he was going!

Backing up a bit and rubbing his forehead which had slammed into someone's back, Ieyasu instinctively responded before he could think about what he was going to say.

"Yow….ouch. Hey buddy, mind watching where you're….going…."

Trailing off as he blinked his eyes and saw a women with long, bright blue hair turning around and drilling with a glare that clearly said ' _Just go ahead and die'¸_ Ieyasu found himself frozen on the spot as he heard Sayo apologizing for him from behind his back. However, his thoughts were more focused on the woman in front of him.

"So sorry, Ma'am! This idiot here wasn't looking where he was going since it was his first time in the capital, we were just looking for our friend Tatsumi, so don't mind us! We're sorry!"

 _This woman…why can't I move? My body just tensed up the moment she looked at me! It's like…when I was young, and ran into a huge bear outside the village all by myself…..those are the eyes of a predator, no doubt._

As Ieyasu's thoughts continued to race, the woman's gaze seemed to soften by a fraction at the mention of Tatsumi's name, and Ieyasu let out a long breath when she removed her gaze from him and pointed it towards Sayo.

"Oh….? Then….you two, would I be correct in assuming you would be his friends?"

For some reason….Ieyasu had a feeling they shouldn't answer that.

But before he could stop her, Sayo went ahead and spoke.

"Yes, we're his friends from back home!"

Once again, the minute Sayo finished her sentence, Ieyasu felt a feeling he hadn't expected to feel inside of the capital, one he, in truth, had felt many times before….

The feeling of his life hanging by a thread.

Her eyes narrowing as if she had found something amusing, the woman grinned as she replied.

But to Ieyasu's eyes, that grin was anything but friendly.

"I see….."

 _Run away!_

 _We need to get out of here!_

 _Move!_

 _Danger, Will Robinson!_

As his mind began to scream at him to flee from the overwhelming pressure he had begun to feel emanating from this blue-haired devil, Ieyasu heard her mumble something under her breath that truly made his bones rattle with concern….concern for his friend, Tatsumi.

" _Hrm…They could be useful to keep Tatsumi in line, then...I have a few new torture techniques to try out anyway. "_

At that moment, while she seemed distracted with her own thoughts, Ieyasu bolted around and dashed towards Sayo, reaching out for her hand as he called out to her to run, to get away before this woman could make her move!

"SAYO, RU-"

He never had a chance to finish his sentence, as the next moment both of them were suddenly enveloped inside of massive chunks of ice, a satisfied smile crossing Esdeath's face as she examined her new captives.

"Yes, with his friends in my care, that infuriating boy will be kept in line quite nicely. Of course…if he should happen to see his friends severed head hanging outside his door one morning….what would his reaction be?"

Chuckling to herself even more as she began the process of hauling the two back to her torture dungeon, Esdeath felt strangely happy at the thought of trying all her best and new techniques on them…

 **Current day, Esdeath's torture dungeons**

Deep in the lowest and darkest part of the dungeon which had been his home for the past few weeks, one nearly unrecognizable hunk of meat that was dangling from a hook that had been dug into his back tried to focus his thoughts.

Yes, Ieyasu was convinced he had died and done to hell.

He had died inside that chunk of ice, and this was hell.

He refused to believe any of this could be real.

Because if it was real…..then that would mean his friend Sayo had truly suffered, and probably died by now, instead of peacefully dying in that chunk of ice that woman had encased her in…

In the beginning, Ieyasu thought he could hold out, he thought if he could hold out long enough, Tatsumi would somehow come and rescue him, or at least…..someone would. But after watching Esdeath, as Ieyasu had later figured out the blue hair woman was called, take a knife to Sayo and dig into her like she was carving a roadmap, Ieyasu had been in hell ever since.

And if it wasn't bad enough, the woman seemed to always know just how to make him scream, how to make him feel the most pain, yet never truly putting his life in danger.

She was some sort of twisted, demonic devil, and Ieyasu knew it was a miracle he was even still sane after being her plaything for weeks…..he had seen others break and go crazy, babbling like idiots as she made them howl in pain, others simply gave in to the pain and found enjoyment in it, they came to love it when she came to visit…they worshipped her like some kind of twisted angel of pleasure. But not Ieyasu.

He had decided he would never break after watching Sayo crying before his eyes as Esdeath shaved off bits of her tongue in just the right way so she could still talk….he knew he had to protect his friend, even if it meant leaping into the abyss he was hanging above.

Even if it meant diving into hell, diving straight into burning lava and drinking it like water, if could keep Sayo from crying like that ever again…

Well, he figured that was enough.

So, he had made a deal with Esdeath one day, as she arrived in their cell and was about to torture Sayo once more.

"S-Stop….."

Turning her eyes over to look at him, Esdeath seemed impressed.

"You can still speak after a week of this? Your will is strong, just like your friends'."

Coughing up blood as he struggled against his chains, Ieyasu managed to speak once more.

"S-Stop….hurting…her!"

As a look of bemusement crossed her face, Esdeath walked over to stand in front of him and crossed her arms as she spoke.

"Surely you aren't that stupid to think I'd say _yes_ to that?"

Somehow managing to form his ragged face into a smile, Ieyasu shook his head side to side as he replied.

"Hah…..of…course not. So…..I want …to …..make a deal."

Raising her eyebrows, Esdeath sighed and waved her hand dismissively as she spoke in a bored tone.

"I don't do deals. Besides, a _deal_ implies both sides benefit from it…how would _I_ benefit from making a deal with you, mmm? It would be much easier to carve it out of you, you know. Not to mention, much more fun."

Howling as she ran one of her blades across his chest, Ieyasu managed to smirk as he replied.

"You….could do that. But….surely, you can see…..we won't yield to you. No matter…the pain…..we won't give in! So…I have….a simple offer. Leave…..Sayo alone, and…torture me….twice as hard. Punish me…..for both of us…..please.."

Thankfully, Ieyasu could see her considering this deal for a moment, and as she cracked a crooked smile and replied to him, he felt a mixture of happiness and despair.

"In all my time of doing this…..you're the first who's actually _asked_ me to torture you more! I can see promise in your deal…but…I'm going to say no. I could do that anyway, since you suggested it."

Refusing to accept he would have to hear Sayo screaming right in front of him again, Ieyasu hung his head and spoke once more.

"Then…..i'll tell you everything! Right now…everything…..anything…..just let her go…please….."

Feeling tears brimming up in the corners of his eyes, Ieyasu blinked them away as Esdeath replied, her voice as arrogant as can be as he felt her tap her index finger to his chin as she lifted his head up until she was staring him in the eyes.

"A tempting offer…hmmmm…but you seem to be misunderstanding something."

Trying to focus his cloudy vision, Ieyasu was staring back into Esdeath's eyes when he felt a horrific pain erupt from his right eye!

Screaming as he felt blood pouring from his right eye socket, he somehow heard Esdeath's voice addressing him as he continued to scream in pain.

"I'll get that information anyway, so why would I accept that deal? I would much rather enjoy myself breaking you and getting what I want than getting everything so easily…no, your deal is denied. But to be so defiant…I can tell, I shall enjoy breaking you. So…."

Feeling the pain subside as he felt Ice fill the empty socket where his right eye had been, Ieyasu stared through his one eye, still covered in blood, and managed to look just in time to see something that made his blood freeze.

He saw Esdeath shove her sword through Sayo's chest.

Letting out an anguished, angry yell as he watched Esdeath toss Sayo's unmoving body outside the cell, he felt bloody tears streaming down his face from his left eye as Esdeath spoke to him with a satisfied voice.

"Let this show you the price for thinking you could save her…..and when I come back, I look forward to making you howl. Well, until then."

As the door shut behind her, despite him not knowing Esdeath hadn't actually killed Sayo before him but just barely missed her heart enough so she passed out, Ieyasu shook his head angrily and watched as blood dripped from his eye down onto the floor. Clenching his teeth, Ieyasu spoke to himself, all alone in that dark room.

"…..I have to live….I…won't die here…I can't die until I make her experience just as much pain as she made me feel…!"

And so, for the next week up until now, where his body resembled more a chunk of meat at a butcher shop than anything close to a human being, Ieyasu had somehow managed to keep sane despite the torture sessions that seemed to last forever….

"Survive….survive…survive…"

But it wasn't like he kept sane out of luck.

He had watched the people who had been in the same cell with him break enough times to know he needed something to hold on to, something that would serve as his life raft to keep him from drowning into the sea of madness he seemed to be floating on.

So he held onto one thing, and one thing only….

His rage.

The burning rage that seemed to smolder like a million infernos inside of him as he had watched Sayo die, he had held onto it, kept it close to him, let it sustain him as Esdeath inflicted suffering and pain so intense he nearly blacked out several times….but that wasn't it.

In this hell that had taken everything from him before his eyes, he used the pain he felt every day to keep his mind his own, to keep it sharp so Esdeath couldn't get anything from him; just like a shield to protect his mind, he focused on the pain each time it shot through his body to keep the drugs he swore had somehow made their way into his system at bay.

And through doing so, he had stayed sane through two weeks of hell. He knew he would probably never be able to walk again, and probably never ever wield anything resembling a weapon again….but he swore that even if he came out of this hell as a torso, he would still find a way to make Esdeath feel his pain.

But today, through the cloud that seemed to plague his mind lately, he vaguely thought something was wrong.

 _She hasn't come today….why…? So loud outside…_

And in that moment, he heard a large WHAM and blinked his single eye just in time to watch the thick metal door of his cell fly off of its hinges and slam into the floor!

There, in that doorway that he struggle to see…..he saw a giant, metal behemoth and a girl dressed in black and red, holding a katana!

 _I'm…..hallucinating, now?_

But then, he heard a voice come from the metal that felt vaguely familiar to his clouded mind, a voice that made him feel….happy.

" **This is the last room, he has to be in here. But all I see is some lump of meat hung up…..on….the…."**

As the voice trailed off, Ieyasu focused his mind, grabbed a hold of his rage to give his thoughts clarity, and tried to use the throat he had for something else other than screaming bloody murder.

"…Tatsumi….?"

Indeed, if this was nothing more than a hallucination….

Ieyasu never wanted to go back to reality.

 **A few minutes earlier**

Stepping through the door they had found that lead them into Esdeath's torture dungeons, the first thing Tatsumi saw as he glanced around him was the size of the facility they were in.

" **This is much bigger than I thought it would be…it must be three stories down, at least! Damn…** "

As he and Kurome made their way down the winding stairs that seemed to lead infinitely down into the darkness below them, the smell of blood and death all around them, Kurome spoke up from beside him.

"We can't afford to search every room, Tatsumi. On that note….."

Noticing she had come to a stop, Tatsumi brought himself to a halt and glanced back as she seemed to have something to say.

"… **Yeah?"**

After looking down briefly, Tatsumi felt a shiver run up his spine as Kurome looked back up him with a smile so creepy it seemed to be straight out of a horror movie as she spoke to him.

"You go find your friend, Tatsumi….I would imagine he's on the bottom floor, where the important ones are kept."

Shifting nervously, Tatsumi gave a hesitant reply.

"… **Okay, but…what will you do?"**

Flashing the same creepy smile, Kurome tapped Yatsufusa lightly as she replied and began to walk up the stairs.

"There's so many _playthings_ here, Tatsumi…! I need to _play_ with them, after all!"

Realizing what she meant by _play,_ Tatsumi swallowed a lump of saliva that had built up in his throat and gave her a reply after pausing for several seconds.

"… **Okay, just try not to forget we're here to save my friend. I trust if you find him before I do you'll remember not to** _ **play**_ **with him too hard…..right?"**

Nodding slightly as she turned and headed back for the first floor, Kurome shot back a happy reply as she walked.

"If I do find your friend, I'll make sure to give him extra special attention, just for you!"

 _She clearly didn't understand what I meant…..but not matter. I have a bad feeling that even if Kurome did 'play' with him, it would still be better than anything he'd go through in here…..although I don't intend to let that happen, if possible. I've failed enough of my friends…._

Shaking his head to clear it of such thoughts, Tatsumi continued down to the third floor where no light would reach and began kicking down each door in succession, looking for the one that contained his friend….

But as he arrived at the last door, he frowned as he still had yet to find his friend, Ieyasu.

" **Was Esdeath lying to me when she said she had him? No…..he has to be here!"**

Swallowing his doubts and kicking down the final door, Tatsumi felt his heart drop when he saw nothing but what seemed to be a lump of meat hanging on a meat hook at the end of the room. Sighing just in time to see Kurome standing beside him, blood dripping from Yatsufusa, Tatsumi spoke as he glanced around the room.

" **This is the last room, he has to be in here. But all I see is some lump of meat hung up…..on….the….** "

Pausing as he saw the lump of meat shift slightly so blood dripped from it and hit the floor, Tatsumi felt the blood left in his frail body inside of Jupiter turn to ice as he realized something.

 _Oh no…please, tell me that isn't…._

But it seemed his fears had come to life in the next second Tatsumi stood there, as a ragged voice that seemed to lack all forms of life and vigor rasped from the lump of meat Tatsumi had been staring at.

"…Tatsumi….?"

 _No…..no…..that's….his voice!_

Feeling tears brimming in his eyes, Tatsumi walked over to the human-shaped lump of meat and gently lifted it off of the meat hook that had dug into its back so long his skin had actually grown back over it and draped him across his shoulder armor, hearing a soft voice as he did so.

"..What…a nice…hallucination..."

 _He doesn't think we're real?_

"…Must be…the drugs…."

 _She's drugged him?_

"Guess…I'm not making it out….after all, then….Dreaming like this….I must be dead…"

 _No, don't you do this to me!_

Shaking Ieyasu's form on his armored shoulder, Tatsumi's panicked voice erupted from his helmet as he saw his friends eyes begin to close.

" **Stop it, Ieyasu! This isn't a dream, I'm actually here for you! SNAP OUT OF IT!** "

After some mild shaking, Tatsumi heard Kurome's pleased-sounding voice from behind him as he heard her drawing Yatsufusa.

"If he's going to die…please let me have him, Tatsumi! He'll live forever….so we can play with him whenever we want!"

Pausing for a moment, Tatsumi sighed and was about to reject her offer, but then he realized something.

 _Wouldn't that be better than just letting him die? If he could live on in Kurome's blade, wouldn't that be better than letting his life flicker out like this…?_

Turning around to Kurome as he felt Ieyasu shifting on his shoulder, he patted her head and replied.

" **Tell you what….if it turns out he can't be saved, I promise you can have him, okay? I'm sure he'd love it if it meant he could keep fighting, that blockhead…"**

Seeing a huge smile cross across her face, Tatsumi couldn't help but think to himself as he watched her happily pat her armor and speak.

"Thanks, Tatsumi! I knew I loved you for a reason!"

 _Beautiful, spiced with just a bit of crazy…..sheesh, she's just the best._

Feeling his cheeks flush, Tatsumi nodded awkwardly as he tried to give her a reply.

" **Ah, well…that is-** "

Clearing his throat, Tatsumi cleared his head and started over.

" **Enough of that! Geez…we need to tend to Ieyasu…hey, wake up, man!"**

Thankfully, what Tatsumi heard next lifted his spirits slightly.

"…..Tatsumi? You're….actually here? This…damn cloud of drugs in my head….hard to think."

Feeling the weight of a thousand planets lift from his shoulders, Tatsumi began to follow Kurome up the stairs as he replied in a relieved voice.

" **It's okay, Ieyasu…I'm real, and I'm getting you out of here, okay? So just hold on…** "

As they walked in relative silence for a while, he heard Ieyasu's soft voice in his ear as they walked up the stairs.

"Tatsumi….Sayo, she…..she…..oh god, I'm going to be sick…!"

Pausing briefly as he felt Ieyasu vomit all over the ground behind him, Tatsumi sighed and replied sadly.

" **I know….she told me everything, man.** "

However, rather than calming him, Tatsumi sensed he had only confused him.

"…Wait. You…spoke to her? But….I watched Esdeath kill her…! She couldn't have….."

Pausing for a second, Tatsumi realized what must have happened, and felt his heart drop a little as he spoke.

" **She must have made it** _ **look**_ **like she killed her, man….all I know was I found her in the ruins of our village, where I watched her die in my arms…."**

As Tatsumi heard Ieyasu reply, he knew he had made a mistake.

"Ruins…of…..the village…?! That….damn….."

Feeling his friend almost shaking with anger, Tatsumi patted his friends scarred back as they walked, arriving at the door outside as he replied to try and calm him down.

" **I know….I know. Focus that anger, Ieyasu, use it….but don't let it control you at any cost, okay? It's fine to be angry…..hell, I still plan on killing that bitch at some point, but right now there's bigger fish to fry, so I put those plans on the back burner so w-** "

However, it seemed the drugs were wearing off as Ieyasu replied, as his voice was much more like its old self, albeit with much more pained grunts mixed in. Listening as they entered the outside air, Tatsumi felt sad as he listened to how much his friend had changed during their time apart.

"Damn, the drugs are wearing off…..can feel the pain again. No matter….it clears my head. And don't tell me to put my anger on hold, Tatsumi! You think after what she did to me I'll simply say ' _oh no, it's fine you tortured me and scarred me for life, both physically and emotionally, I can wait!'.._? NO! Even if this damn city is burning around me, if I can feel her heart in my palm as I crush it, then I can die happy. No…nothing is putting my anger on the 'backburner'…..until I feel and see her death before me, I won't allow myself to die! Even if I have headbutt her to death, I swear to everything that she's taken from me I'll make her pay! Just because you're soft…..don't think I'll be!"

As a silence descended between the three of them, Ieyasu let out a pained sigh.

"This pain…..all over…..damn it all. Doubt I'll even walk under my own power again…"

Pausing for a moment as he walked, Tatsumi continued walking as he replied.

" **What makes you say that…?** "

And in a cold voice, Ieyasu gave his reply.

"When you watch her rip out the muscles in your right leg, freeze them just enough so it hurts as she whips you with them, then laugh as she does…..would you think you could walk again? My right leg is probably missing half of its muscle mass! Honestly, I'm not even sure how I'd be alive, if she wasn't so damn good with torturing people…."

Feeling his right leg cramp up at the thought of what his friend was describing, Tatsumi was about to try to calm his friend down when he heard the sounds of combat coming from around the corner Kurome had just taken and rushed around it only to find her holding her sword to a strange looking person with a massive nose!

" **Wait, Kurome! That's one of Stylish's weirdos…..Ah, I have an idea!"**

Putting his boot on the things' chest, Tatsumi tried to speak down to it in the most threatening voice he could manage.

" **Go back to Stylish, tell him we have someone we need him to work on, ok? Tell him Tatsumi sent you, and he'll understand. Now go!** "

Watching as the large nosed person scurried off towards Jaeger HQ, Tatsumi realized Kurome was looking at strangely and spoke to her as he rested Ieyasu on the ground against the building nearby.

" **Cut that out, giving me a weird look…..if Esdeath sees we did this, at the very least she'd try to make us hand him over again, right? And while she'd probably believe me if I took the blame for doing it, at worst she'd still try to kill me**..."

Smiling, Kurome nodded as she replied and leaned against the building that made up one side of the alley they found themselves hiding in.

"Mmm. You're right…I guess."

Watching as she brought out her bag of snacks and began to munch on them, Tatsumi found himself staring at them as he lost himself in his own thoughts.

 _Wonder why she always eats those snacks…..bet they taste good. Man, I think I've had one of them before, but I'd like to try one agai-_

However, before he could finish Kurome glanced at him, noticed his glare directed at her snacks, then held them close to her chest with a deadpan look on her face as she spoke to him.

"You can't have any."

Amazed, Tatsumi couldn't help but laugh and reply.

" **Wow, how the hell did you do that? Can you actually just read my mind, or something?! If you can, you'd better stay out…..there's not much going on in there these days, y'know?"**

To his surprise, Kurome laughed softly for a second, and looked to be about to reply to him when Ieyasu coughed and interrupted.

"Get a room…geez. Just ignore the dying guy and get all lovey-dovey, eh Tatsumi? Come over here, I'll whack you one-!"

Coughing again, Ieyasu swore softly as he leaned his head back against the building and spoke.

"Ah, damn it. Laughing hurts….."

Looking up and seeing Kurome's face red as roses and Tatsumi somehow managing to fidget awkwardly inside of that huge armor, Ieyasu let loose another Torrent of laugh-coughs and spoke as happily as he could manage.

"Ah, geez! You guys are seriously in love, aren't you? Man, Tatsumi….when you'd get to be such a ladies man? Seriously, the only thing you were ever good at was hitting things, just like me! While you've been off getting this catch and learning how to have a girlfriend, the only skill I've managed to…ack! Ah damn…that hurt. The only skill I managed to pick up is managing to not become a total weirdo-masochist whenever Esdeath was torturing me..."

Finally laughing inside of his armor as he recovered from his embarrassment, Tatsumi gently chopped Ieyasu on the head with his armored hand and gave a smart reply to his friend.

" **Ah, don't kid yourself, Ieyasu! You were** _ **already**_ **weird-"**

Stopping as Ieyasu grinned and used his left arm to weakly tap Tatsumi's armor as some sort of punch, Tatsumi laughed some more as Ieyasu spoke again.

"Cheeky as always, huh? If I wasn't so beat up I'd give you a good chop on the noggin for Sayo…."

Before anyone else could speak, they heard a voice from the entrance to the alley.

"How absolutely not stylish, Tatsumi! I hope you have a reason to call me out into this city that lacks any form of style-"

Pausing as he glanced down at Ieyasu, Stylish put one hand to his cheek and the other grabbing hold of his other arm's elbow as he spoke.

"Ah….that would be the General's handiwork…..I see."

 _As expected of Stylish…..as smart and creepy as always._

As Tatsumi thought this to himself, he nodded and replied as he watched Stylish kneel down in front of Ieyasu's bloodied, ravaged body.

" **He's hurt pretty bad, Stylish. I hope you can understand why I want to do this under her Radar…..** "

Chuckling to himself as he rubbed his hands together, Stylish glanced back at Tatsumi as he smiled and replied.

"Ah, of course….if she found out about _this_ stylish little specimen, I doubt she'd stop until she took his head…and maybe yours."

Shifting nervously, Tatsumi nodded,

" **Yeah. I'm trying to avoid that, if possible. I won't bother insulting your skill by asking if you can save him, but…from what he's told me, his right leg is pretty bad, and he's obviously missing an eye.** "

Touching a hesitant Ieyasu and running his glove-covered hands over Ieyasu's empty eye socket and right leg, Stylish shook his head sadly and replied.

"Ah, you are correct…..the general is as stylish as ever when it comes to pain and suffering, it seems….ah, such a work of art!"

Coughing and looking around, Stylish smiled sheepishly and continued.

"Ah, excuse me. Since it seems she removed part of his muscle fibers in his right leg, there's nothing I can do about that. I can't fix what isn't there, after all…and I obviously can give him his eye back. As to the rest of him…"

After rubbing his chin thoughtfully for a few seconds Stylish clapped his hands together and spoke once more.

"He'll be fine. I doubt this poor boy will even be able to use his right leg for anything ever again…but with perhaps….a cane, or a similar walking tool, he may be able to do something resembling walking again, in time. In general, I think the right half of his body will be somewhat weaker than his left, but…..I suppose only time will tell. Good thing you called me, I can see numerous blood vessels that have burst inside of him…he's filling with blood. Anyone else but me couldn't fix him."

As he laid Ieyasu prone on the ground, Stylish rubbed his hands together once more and made a shooing motion to Tatsumi as he looked up and spoke.

"Ah, but with these glorious hands of god, my Teigu Perfector….such a thing as this is trivial to me! Now please young Tatsumi, Kurome…..step back. I would hate for this boy's blood to tarnish your stylish body…"

Feeling a shiver run up his spine as he obeyed and stepped backwards as Kurome, Tatsumi and Kurome watched as Stylish set to work to save Ieyasu….

 **XXXXX**

 _As he lays unconscious before Stylish, Ieyasu has a dream….no, a nightmare._

 _In it, he finds himself back in his village._

 _Looking around, he sees everyone he remembers smiling, waving to him as he finds himself walking out of the village with Tatsumi and Sayo at his side, also smiling._

 _But suddenly, he hears a cry of pain from beside him._

 _Turning, he sees Sayo cry out in pain, watching helplessly as ice seems to erupt from her chest, her body falling to pieces as he turns to Tatsumi, his lips trying to form words._

' _Tatsumi!', he wants to say._

' _Run away!'_

 _But as his mouth moves yet makes no noise, he watches helplessly once again as his friend Tatsumi somehow transforms into a giant metal monster, dead yet somehow alive._

 _Turning around, he feels himself unable to move as a sheet of ice slowly grows to cover the entire village, retreating moments later to reveal a desolate plot of land, a giant metal man holding a burned body, wishing for tears that never come, engulfed in sadness._

 _And then, he feels the ice coming for him, creeping up his legs, coming to devour his soul, to break him and take the final thing he holds within his chest._

 _It wants his spirit, it wants it all….it wants to take everything he knows and kill him just like it has his friends._

 _Feeling himself become immobile as he feels his right eye vanish into the chunk of ice that has slowly encased him, he clenches his teeth as he feels his right leg flare up with pain, his muscles vanishing before his eyes, ripped out before his very eyes._

 _Finally unable to hold it in any longer, he lets out a howl of pain as he sees corpses surround him, their voices worming their way into his head as they slowly began to crowd around his immobile body._

' _Give up'_

' _It's hopeless'_

' _She's buried hundreds of thousands, you're no different'_

' _What can you do?'_

' _Give in…..you can see your friends again, you can make the pain go away if you just give it all up'_

' _You're nothing but a weak boy….you watched as she killed your friend'_

 _Like a tsunami, the voices crowd his head as he feels his entire body ignite with pain, blood dripping from places he never knew could bleed as he shook his head in defiance._

'… _No! I…can't just give in….if I just gave up now….even if I did….Sayo…wherever I went, she'd just…..whack me one, call me a coward! No way! The only way I'm going to wherever Sayo is now….the only way I can face her with pride is WITH HER HEAD IN MY HANDS!'_

 _Shaking off the ice with the help of the armored man, Ieyasu looked up from the view of his burned village to see the woman who had done this to him standing before him, as tall and imposing as a mountain with a face that practically dripped arrogance._

' _What can you do, a boy I've tortured?'….it seemed to say._

 _And there, standing before that enemy as large as life itself, Ieyasu clenched his hands and focused his one remaining eye up at her as he spoke one first and final time as he felt the dream falling apart around him._

" _I can fight…I don't know how…..but I can fight. I'll fight even if I lose everything….I'll fight until your head is resting at my feet!"_

 _With that, he felt himself wake up._

 **XXXXX**

Waking with a start, Ieyasu blinked his left eye and tried sit up only to feel a spasm of pain shoot through his stomach.

"Ack-"

Clenching his teeth, Ieyasu managed to bear it and get to his feet, avoiding putting hardly any weight on his right foot as he looked around and spoke to Tatsumi.

"…That creepy dude…fixed me up?"

Looking up from whatever he had been thinking about, Tatsumi rose to his full height and nodded.

" **Yea. You've been out for about two hours now, so Kurome and Stylish went back to HQ. I told them I wanted to make sure you woke up fine, and everything….** "

Seeing Tatsumi fidget slightly, Ieyasu watched as Tatsumi cleared his throat and continued.

"… **You alright, man…? I know you survived Esdeath's…attention…..which is** _ **definitely**_ **more than some can say….but are you, like, mentally okay and everything? Oh, let me help you..** "

Smacking aside Tatsumi's metal gauntlet that extended towards him to offer his help helping him to walk, Ieyasu briefly felt his stomach and nodded as he glanced down the alley and towards the main road.

"…Yeah. Honestly…..I've never been better, Tatsumi. As weird as that sounds, I finally know what I need to do with my life….I know what I was put here to do."

Scratching his helmet, Tatsumi sighed and replied, despite the fact he had a feeling he knew what his friend was going to say.

" **And…what would that be?** "

Managing a crooked grin, Ieyasu raised his arm and made a finger gun, pointed it at the massive form of Jaegar HQ in the distance, and spoke as he pretended to fire the finger gun at Jaegar HQ.

"I'm going to kill Esdeath, Tatsumi. That's the reason I'm alive….I just know it. Don't ask me how, but…..I just do."

Pausing for a second, Tatsumi gave a hesitant reply.

" **I…can respect that, I can…..but we have more important things to worry about right now, man! Believe me, I understand almost as much as you do how much she needs to fuckin' die, I do…But the rebel army is about to attack the capital! Don't you think we need to help these people surv-"**

Turning around and fixing his eye on Tatsumi's helmet, Ieyasu's face went colder than ice as he replied in an even colder voice that completely sounded alien to Tatsumi.

"No fucking way."

Fixing his left eye into a glare that was focused like a laser beam on Tatsumi's helmet, Ieyasu jabbed his finger into Tatsumi's metal chestplate as he continued his rant.

"No fucking way am I _waiting_ to put her fucking head on a spike, Tatsumi! You want to save these people, to keep them from dying at the hands of this rebel army, then? Well…."

Forming his lips into a sneer, Ieyasu put his face so close to Tatsumi's helmet that they were almost touching as Ieyasu continued in a low, threatening whisper.

"If it means getting the edge up on killing that goddamned _monster,_ I'd gladly burn each and every man, woman and child in this city with my own two damned hands. I'm going make sure she remembers the names of Sayo, of _each and every damned one_ of the members of our village with these hands of mine, Tatsumi! Don't get me wrong…..I can never thank you enough for saving from that hell, honestly…but I refuse to be _soft_ like you, ok? At this point, after we've lost so much, what are a few more corpses to add the pile, huh? Or a few hundred? A few thousand? Nothing! They don't matter! If anything, their bodies will make nice shields to block her ice. So no, Tatsumi. I. Don't. Care. About. These. People!"

Jabbing his finger especially hard into his chestplate with those last few words, Tatsumi felt sadness grip his chest as he managed to get out a reply as Ieyasu stepped back a little bit and continued to stare at him.

"… **You think Sayo would approve of thi-"**

Stopping as Ieyasu slammed his fist into the nearby wall so hard it began to bleed, Tatsumi watched as Ieyasu shot him a murderous look and spoke in a low, even voice that, to Tatsumi….

Made him wonder if he would ever see his old friend Ieyasu again…the _real_ one.

"Shut….your…damned…mouth! Don't you DARE bring her into this! She wouldn't approve…was that it? NEWS FLASH, TATSUMI! SHE'S DEAD! THE ONLY THING SHE'S 'FEELING' RIGHT IS THE DIRT FIVE FEET UNDER!"

Turning around to face the wall, Ieyasu spoke once more in a much more quiet voice, so quiet Tatsumi almost missed it.

"… _And if...when I finally do kick the bucket…..if she's up there, judging me this whole time….well, she can whack me all she wants. I'll gladly accept her scorn…if it means…."_

Making a choking sound that sounded suspiciously like crying, Tatsumi closed his eyes and thought to himself as he missed the final words Ieyasu whispered, so quiet no one else heard.

" _Making Esdeath pay….for hurting the one I…I…."_

Ieyasu couldn't say the rest…..but as he wiped the tear that had fallen down his cheek and stared up at Jaegar HQ, he finished the rest in his head.

 _For hurting the one I loved, dammit. I never got a chance to tell her….._

Finally turning around, Ieyasu sighed and addressed Tatsumi.

"Listen, man…as much I appreciate you trying to help me….and I do, don't forget that….I'm going to go off on my own now."

His eyes widening under his helmet, Tatsumi let out a panicked voice as he replied.

" **Wh-…what? What will you do in that condition, man? Besides, what makes you so sure Esdeath won't find you again, without anyone here to protect you?** **No way, I'll go with you-** "

However, Ieyasu stopped in his tracks as he started to leave the alley and barked a reply back at Tatsumi, his voice firm.

"Tatsumi! Stop…just stop, okay? Listen, I need to do this. This is a one man road, dude. No room for huge metal dudes with wicked looking armor…or his gorgeous girlfriend."

His mind going blank, Tatsumi's only reply was a stupid-sounding noise.

" **Hah?** "

Laughing to himself, Ieyasu turned around fully and spoke once more.

"I'm not stupid, dude. I know you and that 'Kurome' girl are close, right? Listen….say you help me, and Esdeath finds us. You're gonna make that girl choose between her duty, and you? That's not fair to her, man. I'm not doubting she'd choose you…just remember, you have more than just yourself to worry about. If you go getting yourself killed by Esdeath…..you gonna take responsibility for making your girl go through that? No…..we're walking different paths now, Tatsumi. You have your things to do, and I have mine, got it?"

Despite his desire to deny his friends claims….Tatsumi felt that he was right.

 _He's right…I don't want to make Kurome worry any more than I have to. But when did this lunkhead get so….reliable?_

"You just call me a lunkhead, you metal bastard?"

Stunned, Tatsumi returned to reality to see Ieyasu's grinning face, just like the old days as his friend flashed him a grin and spoke once more.

"I can practically see your shocked face under there, dude...you never change. And no, being tortured by Esdeath didn't give me wicked mind-reading powers...I can just guess what you were thinking. Call it….something I picked up from Sayo, after hanging out with you two for so long…I guess."

Pausing a moment, Ieyasu finally turned around once more and headed towards the alley exit, shoving his hands into his pockets as he limped slowly away.

And there, with the morning sun streaming onto his helmet as he watched his friends back fade into the distance, Tatsumi found himself thinking to himself as he glanced up to the sky, a smile spreading across his face as he did.

 _Look at him, Sayo. All those whacks you gave him must have gave him some of your calm head….we both miss you. I know we can never get those sweet days where we'd play around in the village back, not ever again…..but I still find myself wishing for times gone by, these past few days….for the good old days. Geez. If you were here, you'd probably whack me on the head and tell me something like 'Geez, Tatsumi! Focus!'. I know I can't get the past back…but with this strength of mine, the help of my friends….and a little bit of luck…_

Pausing to take a breath as he watched Ieyasu vanish into the crowded street, Tatsumi continued his thoughts.

 _I can shape the future into one where me and my friends can be happy….and a place where our enemies have been crushed. Ahh, I guess there's still a little bit of the old, Naïve Tatsumi somewhere inside me…..hah. Well, I guess this was just me giving you a report….if you're listening. Oh, and don't get mad at Ieyasu for being like that, okay? I think he cared for you even more than I did…goodbye, Sayo. Keep things warm up there for us, okay?_

And with that, Tatsumi headed back for Jaegar HQ, his mind now firmly set on the future….and on the impending invasion of the Capital.

 **XXXXX**

Standing just outside the entrance to the main market street of the capital, Ieyasu sighed as he rubbed his right leg, wincing as he felt dull pain shoot up his leg.

 _First order of business…..get something to help me walk normally again. Can't fight if I have to hobble everywhere…_

So as he began to slowly limp his way down the market street, glancing at each shop he happened to pass by, he heard plenty of vendors advertising themselves by shouting.

"Best weapons around! Buy now and you won't regret it!"

"Exotic food here! You hungry? Slake your hunger here!"

"Amazing armor for sale, hard as a dragon and cheap to boot!"

Shaking his head as he heard the vendors plying their trade, Ieyasu felt himself about to give up and simply buy a sword to learn on when he saw a small, out of the way shop that seemed to be stuffed away in the corner of the street. Just from looking at all the dust that had accumulated on the sign of the shop, Ieyasu felt like it hadn't seen any business for a long time….he wouldn't have gone in, but as he read the sign absentmindedly it happened to catch his interest.

 _Cawthorne's discount assisted living devices!_

 _You or a loved one injured recently, and find themselves unable to get around like they used to?_

 _We sell cheap tool to assist you!_

 _Buy today!_

Scratching his chin as he saw a few dusty walking sticks displayed outside the store, Ieyasu nodded to himself as he hobbled towards the entrance.

 _I'll check it out, I guess._

Pausing as he stood in the doorway, he wrapped his right knuckle on the wooden door and looked around for any signs of life in the store.

"Helloooo~…anyone here?"

Suddenly hearing a great clatter from the back of the store, he felt relief as an aged voice came from the rear of the store, strangely deadpan.

"Yeah, yeah…hold yer' horses…"

Glancing around at the innumerable walking sticks and such that lined the walls of the tiny store as he hobbled to the counter where an old man wearing a thick trench coat which covered his entire body had emerged, Ieyasu let out a soft whistle of appreciation as he heard the old man speak.

"I got no money, so no use robb-huh?"

Turning to look at the old man and realizing he was staring in wonder at him as he hobbled towards him, Ieyasu was surprised when tears suddenly rolled down the old man's face!

"A customer! Oh, bless the emperor…..it's been so long….."

Ieyasu really had no idea what he should do in response to the weeping man in front of him, so he simply listened as the old man spoke once more.

"I apologize for this, stranger…..it's just been awhile since I've had a customer, as you could clearly see from the dust…"

Looking around again, Ieyasu raised an eyebrow and spoke.

"Why? I would think injured people would be in great supply, the way the empire is these days…"

As a grim smile crossed the old mans face, Ieyasu listened as he replied.

"Mmm….one would think. But if someone gets injured these days, it's usually because they got attacked by either bandits, thieves, or worse….the empire's soldiers. And none of those options really have a habit of leaving people alive, you understand…..and even if they do, they're wanted. So why would they expose themselves to come buy my products? And since there's not jobs around the capital where dangerous injuries would occur….this place has been steadily declining for years. Oh, but I guess I've been rambling. Sorry, young man. I presume you're here for a walking stick?"

Nodding his head hesitantly, Ieyasu smiled and replied.

"That was the idea, yea…and if possible, I'd prefer to have one fit for combat. Strange request, I'm sure…..but I need to get back at the person who happened to do this to me…"

Lightly touching his empty eye socket, Ieyasu went silent for a minute as he briefly remembered being tortured by Esdeath again, but strangely the old man looked as Ieyasu's injuries with concern as he spoke.

"Boy….pardon an old fools concern, but…..perchance…did that General Esdeath do that to you?"

Feeling himself torn back to reality as he heard the old man's surprising question, Ieyasu briefly felt his leg again on reflex as he replied with a nod.

"…Yea. But….why would you instantly think she did this?"

As the old man's face drooped slightly, he began unbuttoning his heavy trench coat as he spoke.

"Ah, well…."

Letting his trench coat fall to the floor to expose his bare, bony chest, Ieyasu couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach as he saw the old man's chest that looked it had been ran over by a train, then hit by a hurricane. There was numerous criss-crossing gash lines all over his chest that seemed to resemble a road map, his right arm was nothing but a tiny stump, his left eye was milky white and seemed to lack any pupil, and worst of all….there was a massive hole the size of a cannonball that went directly through his chest on the lower right side!

Sadly running his bony fingers around the edges of the hole, the old man chuckled softly as he spoke.

"I can recognize the pain she inflicts. I was captured about a year ago on suspicions of being a rebel along with my wife….but I wasn't, you see. There had been a man who used to live beside me and my wife long ago…..maybe he was the rebel, who knows. Anyway, emperor only knows why, but one day he just up and reported us for being traitors, me and my wife both! Now, I was prepared to spend the rest of my life in prison as was typical….but for some reason, the minister decided to make examples of us, so he handed us both over to Esdeath, and told her to make examples of us, to discourage further treachery. I spent about two months in her care, and for a while I managed to bear it….but…..she, she ki-…killed….."

 _I can guess where this is going._

Scratching his cheek as he gently patted the old man's shoulder, Ieyasu nodded for him to go on.

"I watched her impale my wife on a stake and parade her through the streets of the capital….she brought me along, just to make me suffer, you see. Somehow, I managed to stay sane after all that, so after bringing me to the brink of death and giving me this gaping hole in my right side by heating up a large iron rod and drilling it through me, I guess she was ordered to let me go, because she simply threw me onto the street like this. And, well…that was that. In any case, boy….I can sympathize with you. So follow me, I have a special gift for you, if it'll be used to get back at that woman…."

Nodding as he watched the old man slowly walk back behind the counter and into the back rooms, Ieyasu paused momentarily to silently think about what he had just heard.

 _Guess I'm not the only one strong enough to make it out alive….although he spent much more time with her than I did…In that way, he's stronger than me. All the more reason for me to take her head, then!_

Dismissing the lingering thoughts in his head and following the old man into the back room, he soon came upon him standing in front of a golden chest. Turning slightly as Ieyasu entered the room, the old man smiled and began to speak.

"This here's the pride of my collection, you know. I got it a long time ago…don't reckon I remember where, though. I think it was over 40 years ago…..so you can understand my memory loss…..when you get this old, you just kind of begin to let some things go. Ah, but in any case…"

Rubbing his aged hands together as he gently lifted the lid of the chest and revealed a walking stick with a handle that resembled a dragon cast in bronze and a shaft that looked to be solid iron that was painted to resemble the dragon from the handle wrapping around it. The part that looked to be the dragon wrapping around the shaft of the walking stick was even raised and painted green, to boot.

"Wow…looks….fancy."

The old man nodded in agreement as he began to speak.

"It certainly does. From what I remember…the man who gave it to me claimed it belonged to the first emperor in the last few months of his life. I doubt that's true, but I doubt anyone can argue it doesn't look the part, at least. There's a phrase inscribed onto it that seems to be ancient, though….so who knows, it may have actually been the first emperor's walking stick, eh?'

Leaning in closer to read the aged letter carved into the iron shaft of the walking stick, Ieyasu soon found himself squinting to read the overly elaborate lettering, but soon enough he saw it….and it seemed to glow slightly.

Or was that just his imagination?

In any case, the inscription read as follows:

' _And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.'_

"Interesting."

The old man nodded in agreement as he spoke.

"Ah, I agree! But watch this….."

Gently lifting the walking stick out of the silk lined chest and gripping the handle, the old man showed Ieyasu a small, nearly invisible button hidden in the handle that made a soft _chunk_ noise when the old man pressed it. After a while, after realizing nothing had happened Ieyasu impatiently spoke up.

"Come on, what-"

Before he could finish, he felt the breath leave his mouth as the cane begin to glow and give off intense amounts of heat! Speechless, Ieyasu could only watch in amazement as the old man pressed the cane right into the thin wooden floor and laugh as it quickly melted a hole in the floor and caught it on fire! Stepping the fire out and resting the cane back in the chest, the old man rubbed his hands together, then turned to Ieyasu and spoke excitedly.

"When you press that button, the cane somehow glows and heats itself up to be blisteringly hot, as you can see by my melted floor, hohoho!"

Still trying to recover his breath which had left his mouth in amazement, he took a minute to return to his senses, the turned to the old man and spoke with a voice full of curiosity.

"H-How did it do that? It…..it's not a Teigu, is it?"

Much to Ieyasu's relief, the old man shook his head.

"It can't be…..i've had about a hundred people around here do the same thing with it, so it can't be a Teigu, since there's no way it would be this compatible with people. No, I think this was a walking stick someone decided to modify for their own personal protection…perhaps out of boredom. Well, I suppose it would provide perfect style and defense for an aging emperor…ah, but no matter. Are you interested in taking it?"

Ieyasu was thrilled, and almost replied 'yes' on reflex, but he sighed and replied in a cautious voice.

"I need to be sure that wasn't a one-time thing…..how does it work?"

However, it seemed Ieyasu's concerns were baseless as he listened to the old man's response as he scratched his shaggy white hair sheepishly.

"Honestly…..I have no idea. I've always been interested myself, but I've never worked up the nerve to take the damned thing apart because I was worried I wouldn't be able to make it work again, or something. But here, try it out for yourself if you're worried! Believe me, I've used this thing to melt through the hides of several robbers, so I know at the least however it does it doesn't run out over time or through uses…."

Picking up the cane and pushing the button under the handle, Ieyasu found himself grinning despite himself as he watched it melt through the floor beneath him like butter! Pushing the button again to switch it off, he leaned on it to steady his balance as he turned to the old man, a childish grin on his face as he responded.

"I'd love to have it. What do I owe you?"

Waving his hand dismissively, the old man smiled warmly and spoke once more.

"Nothing, young man. The talk with you today was all the payment I needed….although, there is one thing you can do for me…"

Narrowing his one eye, Ieyasu nodded.

"Sure, what is it?"

With a devilish grin on his face, the old man spoke between bared teeth.

"Whenever you take the head of the ice woman….bring it back here so I can know the deed is done, will you? I'd love to have a party when I see it….maybe smack it around as a kickball! Hohohoho…."

Feeling the old man's vicious grin spread to his own face, Ieyasu laughed darkly as he followed the old man out to the exit of the store, pausing as he stood in the doorway and shot back a reply.

"Oh…I can do that. I'll try to leave it intact so you can recognize it….Later, old man."

Waving absentmindedly as he limped out onto the street, the cane clacking rhythmically in line with his footsteps as he walked a relatively brisk pace, Ieyasu grinned as he thought to himself.

 _First order of business, recover my mobility….check…ish. Well, whatever._

 _Second order of business, get a weapon to fight her with…._

Pausing his thoughts as he looked down at his dragon-themed cane, Ieyasu flashed his teeth in a toothy grin as he resumed his private thinking.

 _Check._

 _And now….I think I should learn how to use this before I go doing any fighting with it. From what Tatsumi said, I only have about a little over 24 hours before the revolutionary army attacks this place…and since that'll be the perfect distraction to use to take her down, I need to do some power training to at least get into basic fighting shape by then. Now, how should I go about training with this thing…..? Not like there's a highly trained warrior who'll be willing to…._

Letting his thoughts trail off as he glanced at the wanted posters beside him for the various members of night raid, Ieyasu was focusing intently on them when he heard a female voice from behind him.

"You sure love staring at those posters."

Slowly pivoting around using his cane, Ieyasu fixed his one eye on a man with the most glorious hair he had ever seen which seemed to extend out above his head like a glorious lance standing behind him, smiling as he stared at him.

"Yeah, well…I was just thinking about who might be able to teach me how to fight, and I was thinking they fit the bill."

Watching as the man chuckled, Ieyasu was surprised by the man's next words.

"Forget that. You need someone to help you learn to fight, I'm your man! Besides…from what Tatsumi's told me about his old pals 'Sayo' and 'Ieyasu', the description of 'an eager friend who gets whacked a lot', among other things, makes me think you'd be Ieyasu, right?"

His eyes going wide, Ieyasu nodded slowly.

"Uh….yeah, actually. You can actually identify people with descriptions that vague? That's…..impressive."

Chuckling, the man smiled and replied.

"Call it one of my many talents. Although, it was mostly because Tatsumi was worried about you when he got back to base and asked me to come see how you were doing, maybe watch over you….the usual stuff. But hey, I'm always eager to help a nice young man like yourself learn to fight!"

Swearing he could see the air around the man sparkling as he whipped out a comb and ran it through his hair, Ieyasu felt a chill run up his spine as the man continued.

"The name's…Bulat, kid. But you just call me…..Big Bro."

 _Whoa boy, this guy's something else, all right._

Chuckling awkwardly, Ieyasu shook Bulat's outstretched hand with his free hand and hesitantly replied.

"U-Uh…..no thanks, if it's all the same to you. But I'd be honored to have you help me learn how to fight, if you're offering."

Bulat only nodded as he began to lead Ieyasu down the street, speaking up a few seconds later from in front of him.

"No problem, no problem….let's head outside the city to train, so people don't bother us…."

 _I can't wait…to get stronger!_

And so, Ieyasu began his training with the man who called himself Bulat under the night sky, just outside the city….

 **A few hours earlier**

Arriving back at Jaeger HQ just as dusk was settling in, Tatsumi quickly found Bulat, who happened to be learning how to cook a proper meal from Bols in the kitchen, and tapped him on the shoulder and spoke.

" **Uh…..hate to break up….eh, whatever this is, but I have a favor to ask of you, Bro."**

Looking back as the two of them stopped talking, Bulat smiled as he replied.

"Sure thing, Tatsumi. I'll finish this up in about an hour or so, can we do this then?"

Pausing for a moment, Tatsumi quickly found a piece of paper and pen, and wrote down a note on it, which he promptly gave to Bulat to read.

 _I helped bust my friend Ieyasu out of Esdeath's torture dungeons, so I can't be sure she won't try to kill me for that when she sees me….so I can't wait. Please…..as soon as you can, go seek him out wherever he is in the city and protect him! I know I can trust you with this Bro, please make sure my friend survives….I don't want to lose any more people close to me. I'll owe you about a billion favors if you do this for me._

 _-Tatsumi_

Not bothering to hang around to see Bulat's reaction since he had absolute faith in him to get it done, Tatsumi paused for a minute before addressing Jupiter from inside his armor.

"Jupiter…given the state of this armor and what I've seen of Esdeath fighting…..can we beat her in a fight if it came down to it?"

After a short, anxiety-inducing silence, Jupiter bleeped back a response in its usual, robotic voice.

" **...Unlikely.** "

Frowning, Tatsumi spoke up again.

"I was afraid of that…why do you say that? Surely this armor can take the cold!"

Jupiter could only beep back its response, devoid of emotion.

" **Unit designated as 'Jupiter, the living tomb's primary function is to ensure the survival of its occupant at any cost…** _ **not combat.**_ **Despite engaging in combat on numerous occasions, the occupant of this unit seems to consistently forget that this Teigu is** _ **not designed for**_ **battle, and as such, does not fall under the category of** _ **attack-type teigu,**_ **despite any thoughts to the contrary. While in a fight against the being known as 'Esdeath', this armor could ensure the safety of the occupant 100%, but against an opponent who could simply freeze this unit solid if they so desired, power would inevitably need to be channeled into sustaining the life of the occupant. In conclusion, a fight with such a person would inevitably result in a tie at best…and a complete loss at worst. In terms the occupant might understand, the absolute defense the Jupiter system provides can merely cancel out the absolute attack power of the being known as 'Esdeath'….it cannot beat it."**

Stunned, Tatsumi took a breath and chuckled as he replied.

"Did…you just tell me off, Jupiter? Are you pissed?"

After a brief silence, Jupiter replied.

"… **Affirmative. The continued stupidity of this unit's occupant in regards to combat is cause for frustration.** **Please try to be less idiotic in the future, or your already fragile life may shatter.** "

Sighing, Tatsumi dejectedly gave his reply.

"…Got it."

Beginning to move once again and slowly finding his way to the roof, Tatsumi let out a purposefully loud, dejected sigh as he awkwardly laid down onto the roof and stared up at the dimly lit sky that seemed to be about to darken at any second. After laying there quietly and motionlessly for quite some time, Tatsumi saw blue hair fall onto the front of his helmet and block his view as he heard a chilling voice come from above him.

"Hello there, Tatsumi."

Not bothering to move, Tatsumi gave a bored reply.

" **Yeah. Hi. Hey, you mind? Your hair is totally blocking my view of the sky, here."**

However, when the hair refused to move itself from his visor, he tried to move arm to move it himself, only to feel himself unable to move it! Trying to move the rest of his limbs and realizing that Esdeath must have frozen them to the ground, he simply went back to staring at the stars through the strands of hair on his visor, his voice unchanging as he spoke.

" **Froze my limbs to the ground, nice. Not like I really planned on moving, anyway. Can't a guy just relax, stare up at the sky and pretend to think about really deep things in peace these days…?"**

Closing his eyes inside his helmet, he quietly whispered something to Jupiter.

" _Lock the armor down. Seal all ports in and out. I'll take your advice and focus on defense this time."_

As he felt faint thumps resonated all around his armor as it locked down and sealed all the external holes normally used to suck in outside air and such, Tatsumi heard Jupiter's reply a few seconds later.

" **Locking process…succeeded. This unit appreciates your efforts to cure your own stupidity."**

Just as he was about to tell off Jupiter inside his helmet, he heard Esdeath's voice from above him once more as he felt ice spreading up his armored legs and arms.

"Today someone broke into one of my…..well, private properties and happened to make off with one of my possessions. You wouldn't happen to know who that was, would you….?"

After he was silent for several seconds trying to think up a reply, Tatsumi spoke in a monotonous tone.

" **The person you are trying to reach is unavailable at this time. Please leave a message after the beep. Beeeeeeeeep."**

However, it seems Esdeath didn't find his witty retort as funny as he did.

"Mmm…yes, well perhaps I should go see if Kurome perhaps knows anything about this, then? Since I've lost one of my treasured possessions, I may need to replace them, you kn-"

However, Tatsumi's deadly serious voice interrupted her before she could finish.

" **Leave her out of this. Whether I know anything or not, if you go down there and begin interrogating her, you think any of these people will still follow you?"**

Her reply only sent shivers up his spine.

"They will, whether they wish to or not. If they disagree with my methods, they will be put promptly in their place! Now, I'm off to see if I can extract some information from Kurome's screaming voice…"

As she began to walk away, Tatsumi cursed softly and spoke up, his soft voice echoing around the rooftop.

"… **Wait, dammit."**

Grinning arrogantly as she turned around, she stood over him once more and spoke.

"Yes?"

Taking a deep breath, Tatsumi took solace in the fact that this would, at least, keep Kurome safe from Esdeath's twisted hands.

" **Let's say…hypothetically, that was me. What's next, then?"**

Feeling the ice on his armor slowly creeping up and onto his chestplate, Tatsumi listened as Esdeath spoke in an amused tone.

"Mm, well….you would need to take your friend's place, of course. I can't let such foolish actions go unpunished, you see. Especially…not amongst my own troops!"

Tatsumi snorted from laughter as he replied.

" **Yea, torture the guy who's on death's door. You take me out of this armor, I'd be dead in under a minute! And if you hurt me, I'd die in an instant, idiot!** "

Strangely, it seemed Esdeath had forgotten that as Tatsumi heard her click her tongue in annoyance.

"Ah, that…how annoying. If only Stylish could fix you up so I could kill you all over again…but alas, you are truly dead inside that armor, aren't you? A corpse shoved inside of a machine, kept alive by a thread…but the issue remains, then! How to punish you fittingly…."

As she went silent for a moment, Esdeath suddenly snapped her fingers and spoke to him once more.

"Ah! If I can't inflict physical pain on you, I suppose the only choice left is to resort to _mental_ pain!"

 _Huh? What are you going to do, do something like torturing Kurome right in front of me to make me feel intense pain and hatred upon watching the woman I care about suffer? That's crazy talk._

After a minute, Tatsumi sighed as he realized what he had just thought.

 _Shit, what am I saying? Of course she'll do that!_

At that moment, Esdeath suddenly headed back inside! Feeling the ice vanish as the door slammed shut behind him, Tatsumi, stupefied, tried to understand what had just happened.

" **What? What's she going to do, then?! What's the punishment, how's she going to make me suffer, and all that? God dammit, that's so…frustrating…oh, that clever witch."**

Tatsumi only shook his head as he thought about what he figured she was doing.

 _Since she can't physically torture me, she's going for mental pain now…..so does she think keeping me guessing about what she's going to do will cause me mental pain? Seriously? That's something a child would do, there no way that'd cause me any mental pain at all!_

However, after a few moments of silence, Tatsumi put his armored hands to his head and shook it vigorously.

" **This is so stressfull! What'll she do? How can I stop her from doing something if I don't know what she'll do? In any case, I guess this means I'll just need to prepare for every scenario! Quick, I need to go tell Kurome Esdeath might be coming for her!"**

As he continued to worry and was about to get to his feet, he suddenly felt a hand gently push his helmet back onto the ground as he saw Kurome sit down on his chest plate, her bag of snacks in her hand as she spoke to him.

"Calm down. I heard that whole thing…..so quit worrying about me."

Whacking his helmet with Yatsufusa, Kurome continued as she munched on a snack.

"…Idiot. Think about it for a second, and try to use that big useless brain of yours….she realized she can't hurt you inside of your armor without killing you, which she doesn't want because she knows your fighting skill will be useful in times to come, and the only person you really care about that she knows of is me. And obviously…..I'm not helpless. I would guess she's going to try and see if you have any other people you care about, so she can try and hurt them to get to you…..know anyone like that? Now that I think about it, that man who's been hanging around here ever since you entered this big suit of armor seems like he knows you…"

His eyes going wide, Tatsumi suddenly stood up without thinking, caught Kurome as she unceremoniously fell off of his chest and set her on the ground as he thought out loud.

" **Bro…not to mention, she's probably going to try and find Ieyasu again! And since Bro lost his Incursio to help make this….he doesn't have a chance against her! I need to-"**

Before he could race off in a panic to search for Bulat, Kurome whacked his helmet again and spoke softly.

"Calm down. I saw him leave the HQ a while ago, so he'll be fine for now. Right now….you need to sleep for tomorrow….the day of the invasion."

Turning to face her, Tatsumi tried to protest but only ended up getting whacked again.

"No excuses. You'll be of no use to anyone running around panicking, got it? Go to bed, moron. Don't make me ask again…"

Laughing uneasily, Tatsumi raised his hands in surrender as he spoke.

" **Okay, okay! I'll head off to bed, geez! Guess I'll just-"**

However, as soon as he began to head off to his own room he felt Kurome grab his hand and simply let her drag him down into HQ and through the hallways, swallowing slowly as she led him into her room and pointed to the floor in the middle of the room.

"L-Lay down there."

Slowly doing as he was told, Tatsumi laid down on the floor(since if he laid down on the bed, his armor would make the bed explode) and stared at the ceiling as Kurome suddenly threw blankets all over his armor.

" **Uhh…..what are you doing?** "

As he spoke up to inquire why he was being made into a giant, armor filled blanket burrito, he sighed when Kurome only wordlessly continued covering him until him, along with most of the floor had been covered in blankets! Finally, as she held the blanket that she seemed to have gotten from her bed, Kurome shifted nervously as she looked at the ground and spoke.

"Well….I just….figured…we could, you know….."

Glancing around him and realizing something, Tatsumi felt his face go red inside his helmet as he spoke.

" **You…..uh…..want to, ah….what would be the word…geez, you look cute when you're blushing like that. Really unlike you-hey!** "

Exclaiming his surprise as she suddenly covered his helmet with a blanket and seemed to be trying to smother him, Tatsumi barely manage to keep from chuckling to himself as he spoke up.

" **You can smother me inside of my armor, you know. And for the record, I'm just as embarrassed as you are! The only girl I've been close to is Sayo, and she'd just whack me if I said 'Hey, let's snuggle together'…"**

After a brief period of silence, Tatsumi heard Kurome's soft voice from above him.

"Don't look."

Doing as he was told, Tatsumi stared up at the blanket covering his visor for a while until he felt something push up against his armored side and left leg…and just when he did, he heard Kurome speak up as the blanket was removed from his helmet. Looking around and realizing Kurome was laying on the floor beside him, her face the only visible part of her as she pushed herself up against the side of his blanketed, armored chest plate.

"You can look now."

Smiling to himself, Tatsumi decided not to say anything as silence descended upon the room.

 _Whoa….snuggling with a girl! Eat your heart out, Ieyasu you bastard! Hahaha! But seriously…..what do I do? This can't be normal, right? I mean, normal guys don't weigh multiple tons, and take up the majority of a room….aw geez, is she forcing herself to do this? No, she's not that type of person. But man, even though my heart isn't working now I can still feel it about to erupt from my chest this is so embarrassing!_

It was at that moment he heard Kurome's soft voice from beside him in the darkness of the room, her body firmly under her blanket beside him as she spoke.

"Night, Tatsumi."

 _Keep cool, man! Don't screw this up! Ah, but I bet she smells so nice-no, not the time for that, Tatsumi! Keep it cool, and give her a reply!_

" **Yeah….Night, Kurome."**

 _Nailed it!_

And after another minute had passed, Tatsumi thought he heard Kurome speak again.

"….. _Love you_."

 _AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH DID SHE JUST SAY THAAAAAAAT? WHAT DO I DO?_

Thankfully, Tatsumi managed to squeak out a reply.

"….eh?"

But he only heard Kurome's soft, gently snoring.

 **Ah ha, that last part was so fun to write, I won't even lie. So yeah, sorry about the wait again, guys. Guess right now I'm trying to write my own story that isn't about an established universe yet, y'know…expand my writing horizons, and whatnot. But enough of the boring stuff, that chapter was awesome! At least, I think so. Anyway, with the day of the attack on the horizon, will Ieyasu manage to train with Bulat enough to take on his ARCH RIVAL, ESDEATH? What will Esdeath try and do to get back at Tatsumi and punish him for 'daring to oppose her'? Will The capital be able to defend itself? Will Tatsumi ever get laid? Will I ever stop asking so many questions? Who knows? Oh, another question. My bad. Anyway, sorry for the wait, and as always drop me or my story a favorite if you enjoy it!**


	14. Chapter 14: Dawn of the final day

**Chapter Fourteen: Dawn of the final day**

"Your highness…before we enter the city-"

As Budo spoke to the emperor, who was still riding on his left shoulder while trying to be as regal as one could be riding on another person, the emperor interrupted him with a wave of his tiny hand.

"I know, General…and we shall deal with the minister in time. But for now, as I understand things from what you explained to me, my capital is in no small degree of danger from those rebels! Thus, we must focus our attention on the capital's defenses, and ensure it is capable of defending itself as soon as possible. Only after it is safe shall I enact punishment on that minister for manipulating me, the king, as he did!"

After a brief moment of silence, Budo crossed his arms and smiled almost imperceptibly as he replied with a hint of pride in his voice, a rare display of emotions for the normally stalwart and stone faced Great General.

"You have come such a long way during the time you've been away from the capital with me, your highness…..I'm sure your father would be proud."

After a brief moment of silence, the emperor closed his eyes and spoke once more, his voice lacking its usual regal bearing.

"…..Mmm. I hope so…."

Sensing the emperor's momentary sadness, Budo glanced up at the emperor as they approached the east gate of the capital, his face once more as impassive and unyielding as the mighty stone walls surrounding the entire city.

"Just know, you highness….if doubt should ever cloud your mind, just remember this, above all:"

Pausing to take a deep breath, Budo continued.

"You must live your life in a different way than anyone else in this empire…..you must live a grander life than any others, and stoke your people's feelings of admiration! You must be he who is worthy of all heroes' envy, he who leads their way, and is king! You must laugher louder than all the rest, fight harder than any warrior, dream bigger than anyone else, and you must celebrate better than any other…..never forget this, your highness. Hold those words in your heart, and never forget them…..lest you lose your way once more."

As the young emperor went silent for a little while longer, Budo keeping up his walking pace in relative silence towards the gate for a few minutes before the Emperor's soft voice could be heard from his shoulder.

"Your words are true, General, I know…and thank you, truly….but, yet….Sometimes…..I miss father, and find myself feeling sad….things that don't belong in the mind of an emperor."

Budo simply nodded in agreement as he continued walking, his face carrying a hint of sadness in it as he thought to himself.

 _Even a mighty emperor, for all his authority…..is still just a child, is merely….human. Hrmph. So are we all, I suppose._

Shaking himself out of such thoughts, he heard a gruff voice shout out to him from atop the city walls as he and the Emperor approached the gate.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

Pausing and letting his gaze drift skywards, he barked out a reply as he slipped back into his General mindset.

"Great General Budo, and his royal highness! Open the gates!"

"G-General?! And h-his highness?! You moron, open the gates!"

"Shut it, I'm working on it!"

"Well, work harder!"

As he listened to the cacophony of voices come from the wall and behind the gate the moment he spoke, he mentally clocked the time it took for the guards to open the gate from the time he finished speaking to the time the gate slowly creaked inwards nearly half a minute later. Striding forward with his hands clasped behind his back, he glanced around slowly and glared at the nearest soldier as he spoke.

"You took entirely too long opening that gate, soldier. In case of emergencies, you must be able to open it at a moment's notice…understand?"

As the soldiers around him saluted in unison, their hands seemingly one as they did so in perfect harmony, the one he had spoken to replied in a slightly quivering voice.

After all, it wasn't everyday such humdrum soldiers saw such important figures as the 'Great General Budo' and the emperor! Who could blame them for being slightly nervous when faced with such imposing presences?

"S-Sir! It won't happen again, sir!"

Nodding curtly, Budo glanced forward briefly as he spoke again, as if suddenly remembering an important fact.

"Good, Good….tell me soldier, how have the defenses for the invasion been coming along? Well, I hope."

Judging from the absolutely flabbergasted expressions on the soldiers faces, he felt his stomach drop slightly as he heard the soldier before him reply in shock.

"I-Invasion?! Sir, what do you-"

Before he could even finish, Budo dismissively waved his hand as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his other one, his voice somewhat deflated.

"Pathetic…this is the Minister's doing, no doubt. To think he would forgo preparing the defenses of our mighty capital so he could, no doubt, sit in his damnable palace drinking wines and eating meats…."

Surprisingly, the Emperor suddenly spoke from Budo's shoulder, his voice firm as he spoke to the soldiers around him.

"Then listen up, all of you! The revolutionary army has finally made its move, and is expected to make landfall in the capital either later today or sometime on the 'morrow! As terrifying as this may be to you, I am here as your Emperor to tell you that so long as we unite ourselves…..this crisis may be overcome! So I ask you, should we let this grand empire that has lasted for nearly a millennium be brought to its knees by a gaggle of fools who think that simply because our empire has degraded in recent years, it must all be brought crashing down?! Should we end the life of our great nation simply because we have discovered an infestation has taken root in it?"

"NO!"

"No! I know, as your Emperor….I have failed you. I have sat in my palace day in and day out, letting corruption run rampant in the empire my father and his father before him spent their blood to build as that minister used me like a puppet for his own ends! And after this….you may do with me as you wish….be it the noose, or the dungeons. But I promised my father I would see his empire prosper….and rebels be damned, I won't let those rebels bring it all crashing down!"

As the soldier looked at each other, their faces clearly displaying their surprise at what the Emperor had just said, Budo took the silence to glance up at the Emperor who was still on his left shoulder, a faint hint of amusement crossing his lips as he spoke.

"Your highness…..you're too young to be using such words…where did you learn that?"

Grinning sheepishly and covering his mouth, the Emperor looked at the ground innocently as he replied.

"….The minister. But thank you, General….your words made me realize how silly my thoughts were. It seems that I still have much to learn….."

Sighing softly, Budo went silent for a minute before speaking once more, this time with a voice that had nothing but pride in it.

"His highness's foul language aside….that was a magnificent speech. You sounded almost as mature as your father, for a second. Oh, and you are most welcome….I am merely doing my duty and serving you faithfully."

As a big grin spread across the Emperor's face, it was quickly erased as Budo brought his massive hand down onto the Emperor's head and gently chopped him on the head, ignoring the pouting face staring at the left side of his face as he spoke.

" _For a second_ , I said…you still have a long way to go until you get the trust of your people back. Now come….let us see to the defenses of the city."

Rubbing his throbbing head and sighing, the Emperor could only nod and grip Budo's massive left shoulder pauldron for balance as they headed for the other gates….

 **XXXXX**

As Tatsumi felt his vision slowly returning to him the next morning, he slowly looked around inside his helmet and found himself smiling softly as he saw Kurome, her head still gently resting beside him as she seemed to be sleeping soundly. Not wanting to wake her up for no reason, Tatsumi contented himself with staying put where he was, glancing at her sleeping face every now as he thought to himself as he lay there.

 _She's so cute when she's asleep…you'd never tell she's part psychopath, just from looking at her._

Pausing for a moment as Kurome's sleeping form seemed to shift and roll over in her sleep, Tatsumi gently moved the blankets back up that she had pushed off as he continued his thoughts.

 _Well…she's my psychopath, though, so it's fine._

Managing to tear his gaze away from her sleeping visage, he glanced out the window on the far side of the room and up into what he presumed was the early morning sky, his thoughts drifting back to the one connection to his village that was still alive…his childhood friend Ieyasu. As the image of Ieyasu limping away from him the day before filled his head, Tatsumi felt sadness creep into his cold, barely beating heart as he thought about how profoundly….. _different_ his beloved friend had been.

 _I guess no one stays the same forever….even dumb ol' Ieyasu. Heck, I know I'm not the same as I used to be, no doubt about it...I was so idealistic when I left the village, believing in my own swordsmanship, completely cocky and sure that I could easily earn the money to save my village._

Tatsumi merely let out a soft chuckle inside his helmet as he continued his thoughts.

 _How wrong I was, huh? The only thing I managed to 'protect' is myself, in the end…everything and everyone else from the village is gone, their bodies reduced to ash along with the village where I grew up. Sayo…she didn't deserve what Esdeath put her through...and I know Ieyasu's hurting inside, desperately chasing after Esdeath for revenge to avenge her._

Feeling his eyes moisten, Tatsumi turned his gaze to the ceiling above him as he smiled sadly.

 _Well, the way my body's going these days…I may see you sooner than I thought, Sayo. I'm sure you'll be there when I arrive, ready to give me a whack on the head and call me a big idiot, just like you used to…but hopefully, you won't be seeing Ieyasu too soon. If I can…I want to make sure at least he lives through all this._

His thoughts suddenly interrupted as he felt Kurome waking up beside him, he took one last glance up at the ceiling before turning his attention to Kurome's rising form.

 _Don't worry, Sayo…I haven't forgot about you guys. I'll avenge all of you if it's the last thing I do…even if it means eternal torment after I die, as long as I can shoulder than sin, and keep Ieyasu and Kurome free from it, I'll be happy. I don't want to drag them down into hell with me when that time comes._

As Kurome finally sat up, a terrible case of bedhead plaguing her hair, Tatsumi look at her sleep-addled face and laughed as he spoke out loud.

" **Morning, sleepyhead. Your hair looks pretty wild, y'know."**

Yawning loudly, Kurome looked down at him slowly before giving him a halfhearted whack with Yatsufusa, her sleepy voice filling his ear a few seconds later.

"Shut up, you. Haaaaaaaaah~…."

Yawning loudly once more, Kurome got up and looked around the room as she turned to Tatsumi and pointed towards the door.

"…need to change."

Slowly rising to his feet, taking care not to bump his thirteen foot tall helmet on the ceiling, he headed for the door and turned halfway back around as he spoke.

" **I'll be in the kitchen…I'm sure Bols is making breakfast, so I'll-"**

However, when he turned back around and managed to see Kurome's bare back, he yelped as Yatsufusa suddenly nailed him directly on the middle of his helmet as Kurome's angry, slightly less sleepy voice rang out to him as various other items came flying at him from across the room.

"…out! Get out, you big idiot!"

Hurriedly retreating out the door, Tatsumi rubbed his helmet where she had nailed him with Yatsufusa, mumbling as he slowly moved down the hallway towards the kitchen where the smells of breakfast were wafting from, making his dry mouth water.

" **Yeesh, she's not a morning person, is she…."**

Ducking into the kitchen through the door so as not to demolish the wall, Tatsumi looked around and saw Bols hard at work in the kitchen area, frying up some sort of breakfast food items, happily humming a tune as he went.

Turning and seeing Wave reading some sort of daily news report paper as he nibbled on what seemed to be a fish omelette, he seemed to notice the floor rumbling as Tatsumi thudded into the room and turned to him slightly as he entered, raising a hand in greeting as he went back to reading and eating.

"Yo, Tatsumi."

Briefly waving a hand in response, Tatsumi paused right beside Wave as he realized something.

" **Is that….a fish omelette, Wave?"**

Pausing mid-bite, Wave smirked as if he was proud of something and nodded as he replied.

"Mmm-hmm, it was my own design! Want to try some?"

Feeling his stomach turn at the smell of raw fish wafting from the omelette, Tatsumi raised his hands in defeat as he slowly moved towards the kitchen, where Bols was still happily humming away as he cooked.

" **Aha, no thanks. You can keep that weapon of mass destruction away from me, thanks."**

Suddenly having a great idea, Tatsumi paused mid-stride and spoke to Wave once more.

" **Oh, but I'm sure the General would** _ **love**_ **to try some, so why not offer some to her when she gets here?"**

Snapping his fingers like he was ashamed he hadn't thought of it, Wave laughed loudly and patted Tatsumi's armored chest plate as he somehow pulled a bag of fish out from under the table and grinned.

"Oh, great idea Tatsumi! With this, I'm sure to get on her good side!"

Tatsumi resisted the urge to give a smart-alecky comment just then.

 _The only thing you'll get on the good side of is her sword, I'd imagine….hehehe…._

Keeping his diabolical laughter firmly inside his own head, Tatsumi arrived in the kitchen and looked over Bols' shoulder to see he was making a few more eggs. As he did so, Bols seemed to notice the massive shadow that suddenly fell over him, so he briefly looked over his shoulder to see who was behind him and spoke happily as he saw Tatsumi's armored helmet.

"Oh, Tatsumi-kun, good morning!"

Patting his friends' shoulder, Tatsumi replied.

" **Mornin', Bols. Has anyone other than me and Wave over there come to eat yet?"**

Slowly shaking his head, Bols gestured to the eggs currently being cooked as he responded in a jovial tone.

"Not that I saw…although I suppose Run could have left before I got up. He does like to get up early and go on walks, I hear. Other than that…"

As if on cue, the sound of a dog whining could be heard from the door as if it was struggling with something. As everyone turned in unison to look, they saw a tired looking Coro dragging what appeared to be an incredibly tired Seiryuu into the kitchen, her tired-looking face and messy hair a clear sign of how tired she was as she lay draped over Coro like a human blanket. As Coro let out another whine as if to say _Get up and walk_ , Seiryuu slowly raised her head and looked around the Kitchen as she patted Coro's head and spoke, her voice still drowsy.

"Mmmmm…..no complaining, Coro…even Justice needs to sleep in….sometimes."

As the brief sound of snoring was heard, everyone watched as Coro let loose a tired bark to wake her up again. Laughing softly, Bols spoke as Seiryuu sleepily looked up from her resting spot on Coro's back.

"Seiryuu-chan...Breakfast is ready, if you want to get up and get some!"

Clearly perking up at those words, Seiryuu pointed towards the kitchen and spoke as she ushered Coro forward.

"Onward, Coro! Justice needs breakfast!"

Watching with amusement as Coro dragged a still-drowsy Seiryuu to the table where she managed to get into a seat, Tatsumi glanced at her before turning to Bols and speaking softly so she couldn't hear.

" **What's with her? I don't take her for a drinker, so…"**

Pausing what he was doing, Bols put a hand to his cheek and glanced back at Seiryuu as if to say _Oh, you poor dear_ as he replied in an equally soft tone.

"Hmm….I think I heard her up late in the training room with Coro…"

Nodding his head, Tatsumi replied.

" **Ah…makes sense. She's probably restless after hearing that the revolutionary army's on the move…as we all are, probably."**

Bols only sadly nodded his head in response.

As Tatsumi left his friend in the Kitchen and took a particularly bulky seat made out of iron Esdeath had made especially for him so he didn't break a chair every time he sat down in his massively heavy armor, he heard the door open on the far side of the room and turned to see Run enter the room, Mastema vanishing just as he entered. Raising his hand, Tatsumi greeted the former teacher as he took a seat beside Tatsumi with a tired look on his face.

" **Hey there, Run."**

As Run weakly nodded in response, he sighed and replied.

"Hey, Tatsumi…"

Noticing that he was looking pretty tired for just a morning walk, Tatsumi decided to inquire if he had done anything interesting while he was out, just to be safe.

" **Hey, uh, Run…you didn't do anything reckless or anything while you were out, right…? You look pretty tired…"**

As he took another deep breath, Run smiled weakly and responded.

"Ah, no no….I just went to scout where the Revolutionary Army was."

As absolute silence suddenly descended on the room, Run seemed to take no notice of it and continued.

"The army….it was massive. There must have been more traitors and deserters than we thought, I think…and judging from where I saw them, the Minister's using the minor villages in their path as shields to delay their advance, judging from the trail of burned villages in the Revolutionary Army's wake. He seems to be forcing the villagers to form human barriers at certain chokepoints in the nearby terrain to make the army change course…they don't want to hurt civilians if they can help it, I guess."

As the mood that had been pretty light hearted suddenly became somber, Tatsumi exhaled slowly and delivered a perfectly executed chop to Run's head as he spoke sternly.

" **Geez, dude…you're depressing everyone. Can we enjoy breakfast, please?"**

Finally seeming to realize where he was, he chuckled and scratched his head as he half bowed and spoke.

"Ah, sorry about that…I'm hungry anyway, so let's eat!"

Making a visible effort to change the mood, Run laughed and went into the kitchen. Thankfully, his efforts to change the mood worked as everybody seemed to return to what they had been doing before Run arrived…Wave went back to eating his fish omelette, Bols went back to cooking….and Seiryuu went back to napping on the table. Changing his helmet so his voice wouldn't be heard outside of it, Tatsumi briefly spoke to Jupiter from within his own helmet as he watched everyone perk up as Bols headed towards the table with breakfast for everybody.

"Hey, Jupiter…how hard would it be to repair the Heavenly Forge? Is it even possible? If only Bro had a compatible Teigu again that he could use, I think we'd be a lot better off in this fight…not to mention having someone I trust fighting beside me would be nice."

After a few moments of silence, Jupiter's mechanical voice was heard in Tatsumi's ear.

" **It is possible. Emperor Titus left instructions within this unit if use of the forge was ever required after the creation of Jupiter.** "

Feeling relieved, Tatsumi continued as he watched everyone around him dig into their breakfast save for him.

Having a helmet on, he really could eat unless he took it off.

And of course, if he did that, he'd die pretty quickly.

"Great! What are they?"

After another period of silence that was longer than the last time, Jupiter replied.

" **The instructions state that in the case that the abilities of the forge are required once more, that the wielder of Jupiter must enter his royal tomb, alone, to retrieve proper replacement parts. Nothing else is stated, save for a hint that the current Emperor should still hold the knowledge of the secret location of the royal tomb.** "

Feeling slightly disheartened, Tatsumi sighed.

"Damn…I knew it couldn't be easy. That means I need to someone get an audience with the emperor…and on top of that, I should probably get an audience when the Minister isn't there, so he doesn't get any hints that the forge exists. Although…I did just hear that the Emperor literally just returned to the capital today with General Budo, so I might be in luck."

Just as Tatsumi finished saying that, he was snapped back to reality as he watched Bols gently set a plate of warmly cooked eggs and assorted breakfast food items in front of him, then stop halfway through putting it down as he frowned and spoke softly, as if he had just remembered.

"Oh…sorry, Tatsumi-kun…I forgot."

Sighing sadly, Tatsumi briefly addressed Jupiter before replying.

"How long can I survive without my helmet on?"

Jupiter gave an immediate reply.

" **At current time…one minute thirteen seconds.** "

More than he expected, honestly.

"Can I even eat? Can my body process food?"

Again, Jupiter responded nearly instantaneously.

" **Negative, as your body is technically deceased. However, this unit can process it for energy."**

Well…it was something.

Turning to Bols and patting his shoulder gently. Tatsumi spoke.

" **Ah…don't worry about it, Bols…I don't mind."**

Suddenly moving his hands to his helmet, Tatsumi's voice could be briefly heard before he began to move his helmet upwards.

" **Even a dead man needs some food now and again, haha…"**

As everyone's eyes suddenly turned towards Tatsumi in completely surprise, no one really noticed as Kurome entered the, who quickly saw Tatsumi with his hands on his helmet, and watched on with interest as he continued. As a soft _click_ ing noise was heard as the sound of clasps coming detached echoed around the room, small jets of steam escaped from the now breached seam in Jupiter as Tatsumi finally lifted his helmet clear of his head and gently set it on the ground beside him, revealing his face for the first time since he had been sealed inside Jupiter for the sake of his life.

As everyone present stared at his face in a mixture of sadness and surprise, they saw a face which did not look to be among the land of the living staring back at them. With a gray, pallor color to his face that no living human could possess, his skin somehow still smooth and uncracked, his lifeless grey eyes which had lost all color drifted lazily over the table as his pale lips curved upwards into a self-deprecating smile. Finally opening his mouth, a sound that barely resembled any sort of noise a human could make came from Tatsumi's throat, a hoarse, scratchy, quiet voice that barely had enough force to cover the whole room washed over everyone, his voice so gentle and quiet it seemed as if he could simply evaporate at any second.

In a way, it was a very real possibility.

"Haa…Haa….Is it that bad? I still have my roguish charms, right?"

As no one replied for a good few seconds, suddenly interested in the food before them, Tatsumi sighed and looked about to speak as Kurome finally spoke from across the room.

"…you big idiot...you look fine."

As Tatsumi gripped the plate in his massive armored gauntlet that seemed to dwarf the plate, Tatsumi let half the food on the plate slide down his throat before taking a few strained breaths.

"Ahh…haaa….come on, guys…you're depressing me here. My career as a professional pretty boy may be out of my grasp now, but hey, I'm still here right?"

Thankfully, everyone seemed to take Tatsumi's words to heart as they began slowly eating their breakfast, as Kurome wordlessly sitting down in her seat along the table as the group ate in silence for a while.

Just as Tatsumi slid the last of his breakfast down his dry throat, he paused for a second before downing the glass of water that had been sitting beside his plate, the liquid moistening his dry throat and lips as he went to pick up his helmet from beside the chair he was sitting in, so he didn't suffocate and die like Jupiter had said he would in just a short minute. However, just as Tatsumi picked up his helmet, and leaned back up to an upright position, he suddenly felt a pair of warm, not-dead and lifeless lips brush his cheek as he sat back up! Turning to see Kurome sitting beside him and staring at him, he hurriedly locked his helmet into place before letting out a nervous sigh.

If corpses could blush, Tatsumi's face would have been pretty red at that point.

Clearly seeing this, Kurome stared at Tatsumi, who had hurriedly slipped his helmet on and was now staring at the floor pretty intently, and smiled ever so slightly, a rare sight which had become less rare as of late as she spoke.

"…payback for this morning."

As a loud, clearly nervous and exasperated sigh was heard from his helmet, Tatsumi's voice stuttered out from his helmet a few seconds later.

" **Y-You idiot…! Geez…"**

Kurome simply continued to eat her breakfast like nothing had happened however, save for a slight smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as Bols's voice was heard from the kitchen, clearly amused.

"Oh, young love…."

At that point, it was Kurome's turn to blush slightly, her interest suddenly on her meal as the door to the dining hall was heard as everyone watched the clearly tired figure of Esdeath walk slowly into the room, an exasperated look on her face and her hair not up to its usual luster as she sighed and glanced at the table.

Wave was the first to turn to her, his voice piping up as he spoke.

"Ah, General….ah geez, you don't look so good. Long night?"

Apparently too tired to even order Wave to shut up, Esdeath slumped into her chair at the head of the long table and spoke in a voice that clearly showed how tired she was.

"You….have no idea, Wave. The minister….requested my presence at a meeting of the war council in the palace…"

As she shuddered in clearly visible disgust, she continued.

"…and they just talked _politics_ all night! It was like that damnable man called me there in some hairbrained attempt to _bore_ me to death…"

Chuckling, Tatsumi's voice was heard from within his armor as he spoke suddenly, back to his normal self.

" **Looks like it almost worked, though.** "

Merely scratching her head and sighing again, Esdeath shot Tatsumi a glare that looked like it could have cut through metal as she continued.

"…regardless, at the very least I now know roughly when the Revolutionary army is scheduled to arrive…so it wasn't a total waste of my time."

As everyone suddenly tuned in to the conversation upon hearing that, Esdeath took note of that and continued with everyone's full attention.

"Just over a day…we have somewhere around a day to prepare for the arrival of those pathetic weasels…."

Frowning inside his helmet, Tatsumi spoke up in a concerned tone.

" **Weren't they expected today, though?** "

Esdeath nodded, and spoke.

"Yes, well….the minister has been using his troops to round up the nearby villagers and use them as human shields to stall their advance. However, he's quickly running out of villages, so he only managed to buy the capital a day's time…probably to save his own skin, but…"

Pausing for a moment, Esdeath continued.

"As such…I'm giving you all the rest of today off. Go out on the town, enjoy yourself…"

Glancing briefly at Bols, she continued.

"…spend some time with your family….I don't care. I haven't slept in two days, so I am directly headed to my quarters to ready myself for tomorrow."

Her gaze suddenly turning fierce as an oppressive aura hung over the room, she continued in that familiar deadly voice they all knew she used when she was deadly serious.

"I better not hear _any_ stories of any of you doing anything _stupid…._ got that? I will personally end you if you run away, desert, or likewise do anything pointlessly stupid at any point before the attack….I am _not_ in the mood for arguments, and I shall not take no for an answer….is that understood?"

After a brief hesitation, everyone replied in complete unison save for Seiryuu, who was a few seconds off from everyone else as she was roused from her sleeping spot on the table with a snort.

"UNDERSTOOD!"

"U-UNDERSTOOD!"

Seemingly satisfied, Esdeath rose from her Seat and spoke before heading to the door to her quarters.

"Good….now, I need a shower…"

Leaving with those words, Tatsumi suddenly felt Wave elbow his armored right arm and grin smugly as he spoke.

"Hehe, hear that, Tatsumi? Why not go take a peek, huh?"

Turning towards Wave with deliberate slowness, Tatsumi sighed and patted Wave on the head with his massive armored hand.

" **Ahaha, no thanks. If you want to get impaled and hung from the top of this building, go on ahead, buddy. And besides, I'm not really much of a Masochist, myself…and you'd just about need to be to want** _ **her**_ **."**

Suddenly having another evil idea, Tatsumi patted Wave's back as he spoke again and pointed to still uneaten extra Fish omelette Bols had made for Wave as he spoke with an evil grin inside his helmet.

" **Oh, but didn't you want to let her try your** _ **wonderful**_ **fish omelette, Wave? Hurry up, I'm sure she's still hungry! This is the perfect Opportunity!"**

His face suddenly lighting up, Wave grinned and picked up the plate, Shaking Tatsumi's hand vigorously as he headed for the door at a sprint.

"You're right, Tatsumi! As a man of the sea, I can't just stand by when someone's hungry nearby, can I?! Mom gave me this bag of fish for a reason, after all! Ahahahahaha!"

His laughter ringing back down the hallway as he dashed after Esdeath, Run turned to Tatsumi with a wry smile on his face as he looked where Wave had left the room and spoke.

"You're mean today, Tatsumi…I'm not sure he'll even survive to _see_ the revolutionary army invade now…"

Shrugging and putting his armored hands up in a gesture that seemed to say ' _Whatcha gonna do',_ Tatsumi replied to Run as he rose from his chair.

" **Nonsense! I'm just doing my duty and playing Matchmaker by pairing up poor Wave with a girl! Aren't I nice? Now he can have a girlfriend too…he seemed like he needed one."**

As an exhausted sigh came from across the table, Stylish put his hand to his cheek and shook his head admonishingly as he spoke.

"Tatsumi…that was most definitely not _stylish._ "

Tatsumi turned to Stylish and barked a quick reply.

" **Oh, I don't wanna hear that from** _ **you**_ **, Stylish. You probably just wanted him to yourself, didn't you, you weirdo?"**

Stylish merely smiled as he went back to eating his breakfast.

" **Thought so. Now…"**

However, before Tatsumi could finish his sentence the sound of a very unmanly-scream echoed up from the direction of Esdeath's quarters followed by the angry yell of what sounded like Esdeath.

Laughing, Tatsumi rubbed his hands together in perfect Evil Villain fashion just as he watched Wave streak out of the door he had entered not a few minutes ago, his face clearly terrified as he began bolting for the door at the far side of the room which led to the rest of the building. However, before he could make it to his one hope for freedom, everyone watched as his legs suddenly froze to the ground, his body quivering as Esdeath's voice was heard from down the hallway.

"TATSUMI! THROW HIM BACK HERE!"

Feeling slightly sorry for the poor guy, Tatsumi called back before she decided to come after _him_ too.

" **RIGHT AWAY!"**

Clunking over to where Wave was frozen to the ground, Tatsumi slowly broke the ice at his feet and hoisted him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, listening as Wave's clearly terrified voice came from behind him as he spoke, seemingly oblivious to what was happening around him.

The man was clearly in shock, Tatsumi thought.

"T-Tatsumi….I….I saw….I saw it….I saw….I….I…oh man…."

As he babbled over and over again, Tatsumi briefly felt bad for doing this to wave, but decided not to worry about it as he reached the door to Esdeath's room and nervously cleared his now moist throat.

" **Uh…I got him, General."**

The door suddenly creaking open, the bare arm of what appeared to be Esdeath grabbed Wave by the collar and dragged him into the room and shut the door again.

"Thank you, Tatsumi…..now…..Since Wave has just had his vacation rights revoked….He'll be…"

As a shriek came from behind the door, Tatsumi twitched as Esdeath continued.

"…indisposed….for a while. You may go now, Tatsumi. And to think, I was so unbelievably bored not long ago…"

As Tatsumi walked away, he caught the a few words as Esdeath must have been speaking to Wave.

"Now, Wave….you'll be explaining to me why exactly you barged _into my shower_ with an omelette in your hand…"

Realizing that Wave could very well tell her that it had been Tatsumi's Idea, Tatsumi figured it would be pretty prudent to leave now, so he quickly moved back down the hallway and into the dining hall. Just as he was about to leave the Dining hall, however, Bols stopped him on his way out the door and spoke to him.

"Oh, Tatsumi-kun. You…don't really have anywhere to go today, do you?"

Briefly pausing, Tatsumi figured that since the only thing he needed to today was meet the emperor and get the location of the royal tomb, he shook his head and replied.

" **Uh, not really. Just need to run an errand, then I'm done for the day…why?"**

Feeling slightly rushed as he heard the muted sounds of what sounded like shrieks coming from the door where Esdeath's quarters were, Tatsumi listened as Bols replied.

"I thought so….would you want to come over and meet my family, then? My wife said she'd love to meet some of the people I work with, and my wonderful little girl would love it if you came!"

Taken completely aback, Tatsumi paused for a few seconds, again ignoring the sounds of Wave's screaming as he replied, quite happy.

" **Actually…that sounds great, Bols. I just need to run my one errand, then I'll head back here and we can head there together. Or if you want, you can just tell me the address and I'll meet you there."**

Clapping his hands together happily, Bols' happy voice came from behind his mask as he replied.

"Oh, thank you so much, Tatsumi! Here, I'll tell you my address…."

Taking note of his address, Tatsumi nodded as he looked back up at Bols and spoke.

" **Ah, got it. Thanks, Bols…I'll just be a little bit."**

Grinning, Bols spoke from behind his mask as he opened the door and began to leave.

"No….thank you, Tatsumi-kun! They'll be so happy…! Now, just need to pick up Rubicante from my room…."

As the door swung shut, Tatsumi paused for a minute before heading out himself, slowly trudging down the long hallways of Jaeger HQ and nearly arriving at the exit when he suddenly heard Kurome's voice behind him.

"Headed out?"

Turning around, mildly surprised, Tatsumi saw Kurome standing behind him and nodded.

" **Oh, yeah. I, uh…."**

Hesitating to explain himself for some reason, Tatsumi was about to speak when Kurome interrupted and spoke instead.

"Well, whatever it is, I'm coming with you. I'm not staying here and listening to Wave's screams for the rest of the day."

Nodding, Tatsumi let out a sigh as he replied.

" **Yeah, I feel that…"**

After a brief pause, he continued.

" **Oh, right. I'm just headed over to find the Emperor….I have a question for him that may let us get something that'll really help when the revolutionary army attacks."**

Kurome simply nodded as she gripped Yatsufusa at her belt.

"Gotcha."

Smiling to himself for a moment as he admired just how much he loved the girl before him, Tatsumi shook himself from his thoughts and headed towards the door as he called back to Kurome.

" **Well then…let's go find ourselves an emperor."**

 **XXXXX**

"Wow, you're pretty good at this."

Watching as the rock he had tossed at Ieyasu exploded into dust as it neared the boy, Bulat rubbed his hair and sighed in appreciation as he continued.

"I reckon I've made you into a fairly good fighter, for the time I've had….for a day or so, this isn't too bad…still, if you're goal is taking _her_ on…"

With his right eye now covered by an intimidating black eyepatch, his body covered by a loose coat that gently blew in the breeze, Ieyasu made a brief flick of his wrist and coldly grunted as what seemed to be a bladed, burning whip suddenly re-formed back into the same walking stick he had gotten from the old man!

"Hmph…thankfully, this old walking stick can function as a segmented, bladed whip…otherwise, I doubt it'd be too effective against that damned woman. Guess I should thank the Emperor that commissioned this for being so paranoid about his safety."

Letting out a short, tired sigh, Bulat glanced back over the horizon and to the south as he replied.

"Hah…well, you might be a handful, kid…but since Tatsumi asked me to watch over you, I'd say you've learned pretty well this past day."

Turning back to Bulat, Ieyasu leaned on his walking stick and gave a small smile as he nodded and curtly replied.

"Yeah, well…I guess you could say I'm not a stranger to combat. I used to hunt small danger beasts with my friends back in our village as kids, so…."

Raising an eyebrow out of appreciation, Bulat seemed pleased to hear this as he turned back towards the capital that was just a few hundred feet away from them as he spoke.

"…ah. That's why Tatsumi wanted me to look after you…."

If Ieyasu heard him say this, he showed no reaction as Bulat continued, this time directed at Ieyasu instead of himself.

"…well, It might be a good idea to head back and start preparing for the invasion soon...since I know the minister won't do it, I want to at least try to save as many as I can."

Upon hearing this Ieyasu merely frowned in disgust and spat sideways onto the dirt as he looked down at his walking stick as it shined in the morning sun.

"Do as you wish. I'll be here, training myself for the battles to come...I hate to admit it, but for a guy like me, who's missing an eye and is weak on his right side, it's gonna be hard to be able to match Esdeath. Especially since I don't really have a Teigu of my own…and I'm fairly certain this cane isn't a Teigu, just a well put together walking stick some emperor customized for his safety. That's why I need to take advantage of everything I can in this fight…"

As his gaze dropped, his left eye seemed to fixate on something beneath him as he continued.

"…even if it means throwing away everything that makes me human in the first place, I'll do it without hesitation if it means being able to match blows with that monster. After all…"

Smiling devilishly, Ieyasu's eye glinted dangerously as he continued and glanced up towards Bulat.

"…It takes one monster to slay another. Besides, I'm sure the people she's killed won't be able to rest in peace until I send her down to hell kicking and screaming."

Hesitating, Bulat watched on silently as Ieyasu went back to expertly whirling his bladed whip-turned walking stick around himself, pulverizing any rocks near him as he seemed deep in focus.

"Well, it's not like I particular _care_ if she dies or not…not my place to judge, and I won't offend you by claiming to understand what you went through…just take care you think about the people you have in the _here and now_ , okay kid? I know she took a lot of people you cared about…but you also have people you care about and who care about you who are still alive. Don't leave them hanging by just going and dying like that, okay?"

Ieyasu stopped what he was doing momentarily, biting his lower lip in what seemed to be frustration before replying in a cold voice that was tinged with sheer, unquenchable rage.

Bulat was familiar with the feeling of rage at being helpless as someone you cared about was hurt right in front of you, after all. Before he realized it, he suddenly realized he saw a lot of _himself_ in the young Ieyasu who stood before him, his rage at being so helpless to help his general from being hauled off to prison much like the rage Ieyasu felt towards Esdeath for torturing him and his childhood friend.

It only made him hate what the empire had become even more as he listened to Ieyasu talk.

"Mmm…fighting against her, there _are_ no guarantees that I'll live, you know. And I know Tatsumi…he's strong now, even more so than he used to be. Heck, he's even got that cute girlfriend of his now…sure, she kinda seemed a little crazy, and probably has some troubles of her own deep down…but I know she'll make Tatsumi happy. Me, on the other hand…I won't get any such luxuries. Not in this life…or the next. Not to sound cliché here, but the only true 'friend' I have now is the rage that's burned inside of me like a blast furnace ever since that bitch tortured me to near death…it's the only reason I even managed to retain my damn sanity, after all! Now if you'll excuse me, I have some training to do."

Pausing for a moment to take in what he had just heard, Bulat suddenly grabbing a simple iron spear he had brought along with him and grinned as he twirled it expertly in his hands as he called out to Ieyasu, his voice excited.

"Well, if you want to train…then let's see how you do in real combat!"

His one good eye gleaming with the light of a man who just received a welcomed challenge, Ieyasu laughed as he turned to Bulat and directed the bladed whip in his hands towards him with a smile in his eye as he did so.

"Fine, then! You'll make good practice for when I finally fight her!"

As the two went at each other, the inevitable conforontation between the revolutionary army and the empire came ever closer…

 **XXXXX**

" **Are you…serious? Are you that lazy?"**

Rubbing his helmet with his armored hand, Tatsumi glanced down at Kurome who was staring up at him, her snack bag in hand as she quietly nodded and munched on her snacks.

"Mmm. I just wanted to see if I could, you big oaf. You're almost as big as a small building, so I thought it could be fun to stand on your shoulder and attack people from high up. It's a perfect combo."

Tapping his finger against the side of his leg impatiently, Tatsumi shook his helmeted head as he replied, doubt in his voice.

" **Don't lie, you just wanted to sit on my shoulder, you wierdo. I'm not your personal playground, you know. I didn't** _ **ask**_ **to be this huge, you know. Besides, we still need to search for the emp-"**

After being cut off with a short whack where his chin would be on his helmet, he sighed as Kurome spoke.

"Quit arguing, and we can get going."

Letting out a shrug of defeat, Tatsumi spoke in an exasperated tone as he quietly lifted Kurome's relatively light body onto his massive armored shoulder, where she simply continued munching on her snacks as he spoke.

" **I'm going to quit trying to argue with you from now on…I never win.** "

As he turned and resumed his slow trudge towards the north gate of the city, he felt Kurome gently pat his head and speak as he ducked under an archway that was in his way.

"There, there."

Feeling slightly irked, Tatsumi made a snarky comment as he continued walking.

" **I'm not your dog, you know. If I wanted to be someone's dog, I'd be more interested in Esdeath than I would be in you. Thankfully for both of us, I'm not that weird.** "

Kurome's quiet voice came from his shoulder about a few seconds later as he thought he heard her snickering.

"…you're not?"

Pausing for two seconds, Tatsumi resisted the urge to whack her one and continued walking down the bustling midday street as he replied.

" **Har har. Says the girl who calls ripping people apart and storing their souls in your sword 'Playing'. I bet your snacks are loaded with drugs, you junkie."**

When Kurome didn't respond to his words, Tatsumi suddenly wondered if perhaps he had hurt her feelings or something, and began to panic as he walked.

" **Uh, you're not mad, are you? Hey, I think you're cute when you get all crazy, so-"**

Before he could finish rambling, Kurome interrupted him with a short, uncharacteristic laugh that Tatsumi rarely heard from her followed by a soft silence before she spoke a while later.

"...you remind me of her…"

Suddenly confused, Tatsumi accidentally spoke too soft for his voice to travel outside, limiting his words to the inside of his helmet as he spoke.

"…who's her?"

Strangely, it was Jupiter who replied.

" **Hypothesis: a closely related person from her past, or possibly a relative.** "

Suddenly, Tatsumi realized something he nearly punched himself for not realizing sooner!

Flashing back to the moment he escaped from Night Raid headquarters, he saw a girl dressed in black and red who, now that he thought about it, looked a lot like Kurome! Heck, she even had a katana too!

Speaking louder this time, Tatsumi decided to ask Kurome about it.

"… **do you have a sister, or something?"**

As a sudden silence descended between them, Tatsumi felt he had touched upon a sore subject.

"Yeah, I do…but it's fine, because one day I'll see her again!"

Feeling slightly relieved, Tatsumi sighed in relief and spoke.

" **Ahh, so it was just sisterly lov-"**

However, Kurome continued and interrupted him.

"And when I do, I'll be sure to _play_ with her lots, too!"

His nonexistent blood turning cold, Tatsumi gulped and nervously spoke.

" **I can guess what that means…so I take it you two aren't too close anymore, then?"**

Kurome shook her head negative as she voiced back a response.

"No."

Sensing the air of finality that clearly said _don't talk about this anymore_ in her response, Tatsumi cleared his throat and said one final thing before changing subjects.

" **I see. Well…whenever you find her again, I'll be sure to be there for you when you confront her for whatever it is you seem to hold against her."**

Strangely, Kurome was silent for the rest of the walk to the north gate.

 **XXXXX**

As Tatsumi arrived in the vicinity of the north gate, Kurome still riding on his right shoulder nearly twelve feet in the air as he saw the mass of soldiers milling around the gate. Glancing over the crowd for any signs of General Budo or the emperor, Tatsumi walked up to the nearest guard and cleared his throat as he spoke to the man who stared up at him with a look of terror on his face.

Tatsumi realized that having such a giant armored figure stand over you probably wasn't too thrilling, so he backed off a bit and continued.

" **Where exactly did his highness and General Budo go, soldier? I'm the with Jaegars, and I need to see them on the double!"**

Snapping to attention, the soldier looked about to reply but was cut short by a deep voice that rang from inside the guard barracks near the wall not far away.

"And who's calling for me and his highness, hmm…?"

Turning around to see General Budo walk out of the barracks with the diminutive emperor on his shoulder just like Kurome was on his, Tatsumi jokingly replied.

" **Hey look General, we got matching shoulder-people! It must be fat-"**

However, a fierce, clearly unamused scowl from Budo quickly shot down Tatsumi's joke.

" **Hah….I tried. Anyway, I'm Tatsumi from the Jaegars, and this is my partner Kurome….I have some pretty urgent business I'd like to discuss with his majesty in private, if at all possible."**

As Budo looked about to reply, the Emperor stopped him by extending the kid sized staff he carried with him in front of Budo's face, looking Tatsumi up and down as he replied.

"You sound like that black armored man who smashed a hole in my royal palace floor…"

Taken aback by the Emperor's remembrance of him, Tatsumi chuckled lightly as he bowed respectfully and replied.

" **Ah, I'm honored your majesty remembers me."**

Nodding as if he was also proud of himself for remembering, the Emperor quickly seemed to realize something as he gave a reply.

"Ah, but you seem slightly…. _different_ from when we last met. Did something happen?"

Thinking back to the hell he had gone through in the room with the heavenly forge beneath the palace not long ago, Tatsumi scratched his wicked looking helmet and sighed as he replied.

" **Well…I suppose we should just say Night Raid happened. I only managed to survive thanks to the first Emperor's plans."**

Noticing that Kurome's face visible darkened at being reminded of how he had almost died, Tatsumi gently spoke to her before the Emperor replied.

" **Don't worry, I'm not going to leave you again."**

His interest clearly piqued, the first Emperor leaned forward and nodded.

"Oh?! Interesting…..well, in any case, what did you come here to discuss with me? Last time you asked me something, I ended up with a whole in my floor."

Laughing hollowly, Tatsumi nodded and replied.

" **Nothing so dramatic this time, your highness. I just…"**

Pausing for a moment, Tatsumi decided that it would better to not tell any lies here if he wanted to get the Emperor's help.

" **I'll be honest…I'm sure you know that the revolutionary army is on the warpath, so…I need to know where the location of the royal tomb is. Specifically, the tomb of the first Emperor. I'm told he hid a particular treasure there that would let me possibly, er...let me get a powerful weapon to use when the revolutionary army invades."**

The Emperor stared at Tatsumi intently for a good amount of time before tapping his head lightly a few times, as if he was trying to dredge up a long lost memory or something.

"Ehh…..I _do_ vaguely remember a door in the royal tomb with a message father told me was left behind by one of our ancestors….I guess that could be it…?"

Falling silent once more, the Emperor turned to Budo and spoke, as if he wasn't quite sure what to do and needed a second opinion.

"General, what do you think? Their words…could very well be true, but….for outsiders to step foot in the royal tomb…"

Budo scratched his chin for a moment before coughing and replying as he glanced up at the Emperor as he sat on his armored shoulder.

"Well, if you ask me….from what this man's saying, I think it's safe to say there's some sort of Teigu, or a similarly strong weapon at the very least behind that door. If we can get that kind of asset on our side for this fight, I believe that we should take the chance and let them enter…after all, this will be a fight for our very survival."

Nodding as if he understood, the Emperor turned back to Tatsumi and Kurome and spoke in a dignified manner as he gestured in the direction of the Palace, and spoke.

"Hrmm….very well then….Tatsumi, was it…? You may find the entrance to the royal tomb at the base of the southern wall around the Palace…it will be the old, moss covered building directly against the wall, but don't be fooled by its appearance….I've been told by my father than beyond the catacombs, there's quite a few ancient traps still active. You have my blessing to enter, however."

Bowing as much as his armor would allow, Tatsumi spoke respectfully from within his armor as Kurome also bowed from on top his shoulder more out of in an attempt to mimic him than any sort of gesture of respect.

" **Thank you, your highness. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have places to be...and stay safe during the attack, please. It would be very bad if that Minister was left in charge…on that, I think all four of us here can agree to that."**

Surprisingly, Budo let loose an amused snort through his nostrils as he replied.

"Don't make me laugh, boy. If that ever happened, and I failed to perform my duties and let his majesty die, you can bet I'd make sure that Minister didn't stay in power for long. And for one thing, I'm sure General Esdeath wouldn't even stand in my way if I did decide to go off the deep end like that….not like she _could_ stopme."

Feeling the confidence in his words, Tatsumi merely nodded again as he turned to leave.

" **As you say, General. Now, with that…we shall take our leave."**

Bidding farewell to General Budo and his shoulder riding Emperor companion, Tatsumi and Kurome gave one final wave of goodbye before Tatsumi turned and began heading towards the location where the Emperor had told them about.

" **Now, let's just find that tomb and do a quick once over, then we can head over to Bols' house…sound good, Kurome?"**

Still on his shoulder, Kurome nodded as she continued munching slowly on her snacks as the two moved along in relative silence, the sound of Tatsumi's clunking, armored footsteps the only noise for a while before Tatsumi's voice echoed out from his armor as the two neared their destination, his voice distant as if his mind had been elsewhere for a while.

"… **do you ever think about what you'd want to do after all this is over, Kurome? As strange as it may sound…we can't keep being killing machines in the Jaegers forever, you know…there** _ **will**_ **come a day that our services won't be required…a time of peace."**

After a few moments of walking in silence, Kurome's voice was heard from his shoulder as she gave her soft reply, as if she hadn't ever gave it thought before.

"After….this is over…? I….I….don't know."

No noise could be heard from Tatsumi's helmet for a few more silent steps before his tired voice resonated outward from it, like he had grown weary of something suddenly.

" **I…figured. Whenever we were 'recruited' for the Jaegers, if you could call it that…there really wasn't a mention of a retirement plan, was there? Ha….as strange as it is, I think Bols is the only one among us who actually has something to return to after all this…maybe Wave, I guess…"**

Pausing his speech and his movement for a second as he turned his gaze skywards, Tatsumi merely let out a small sigh as he continued trudging onwards, speaking a few seconds later.

" **As for me….I'd like to take Ieyasu back to our village, or what's left of it anyway…I'd like to rebuild it, maybe settle down there and live off the forest again. Well…such wishful thinking is only a dream, for now. Haha, while I'm dreaming, maybe me and you could settle down there and start a family, eh Kurome? Maybe you're sister'll be there too! Ahahaha…."**

Laughing dryly as if to remind himself of how laughable the concept was, Tatsumi began walking in silence for a while as Kurome finally spoke up in a quiet, strangely shy voice.

"…I might like that…"

However, before he could give any sort of response, Tatsumi found himself standing before a seemingly run-down, decrepit moss covered building that was butting up against the massive, imposing walls of the royal citadel, the tiny mausoleum type building's wonder dwarfed by the walls behind it, and the moss covering it. Taking a few steps closer, Tatsumi used his gauntleted hand to clear the hanging moss away from the entrance of the mausoleum to see a clearly ancient inscription on the front of the large, stone entrance, the lettering and wording clearly archaic as he read it aloud.

" _ **Herein lies the tomb of the Ganymedes,**_

 _ **Royal Clan of our wondrous empire.**_

 _ **May their glorious name be forever**_

 _ **Etched into the annals of history,**_

 _ **And their deeds remembered for all time.**_

 _ **May they be as glorious in death as they were in life."**_

Nodding out of respect, Tatsumi whispered aloud as he pushed the massive stone entrance to the mausoleum open, as if he was speaking to the spirits of the dead who might be living here.

" _ **Pardon us…."**_

Stepping inside and realizing that the entire room the two of them found themselves in was devoid of any meaningful source of light save from the daylight streaming in through the open door, Tatsumi, with Kurome now silently following behind him, her hands resting on Yatsufusa at her waist, Tatsumi took a glance at the nearby elaborate coffins as they walked past them. Reading off the names of multiple people he recognized from ancient tales and historic legends, Tatsumi and Kurome slowly and ever so carefully descended down a flight of ancient stone steps and found themselves standing before a titanic stone slab embedded into the far wall from where they were facing, ancient lettering carved onto its surface as Tatsumi saw a coffin, the outline of a person on the top, the entire thing covered top to bottom in solid gold! Seeing an inscription on the side, Tatsumi walked over to it as Kurome kept watching the door in case of trouble and read it aloud.

" _ **Herein lies the first Emperor of the empire,**_

 _ **Titus Ganymede the first, Father of the Teigu.**_

 _ **As his wondrous, brilliant soul astounded**_

 _ **And blinded all who laid eyes upon him in life,**_

 _ **As his soul enters the great beyond, we pray**_

 _ **That his brilliant, glorious majesty makes even**_

 _ **The greatest kings bow their knees in wonder.**_

 _ **May he shake the afterlife with his majesty."**_

Smiling softly inside his helmet, Tatsumi briefly rested his hand on the top of the First Emperor's tomb and spoke a brief few words before continuing.

" **Thank you, your majesty….your designs for Jupiter saved my life not long ago. I may still be basically a kid…but I swear, I'll protect your last living heir from the Revolution….so rest easy."**

Ignoring the questioning look he was getting from Kurome, Tatsumi turned suddenly and walked over to the Titanic stone slab that lay embedded in the wall not far away, his lips moving once again as his eyes scanned over the words that lay embossed onto its' surface.

" _ **Beyond this stone slab lies the greatest legacy that I, Titus Ganymede, first emperor of this great empire, ever brought into this world….the heavenly forge. Or at least, the parts necessary to repair it, if the worst has come to pass…in any case, if this is being read, then the abilities of the forge must be vital to the survival of the empire. In that case, I shall not cut corners, and delve straight to the heart of the matter...beyond this stone slab lies a trial that only those who seek a Teigu from my forge may enter and attempt to pass, if they wish to reclaim what has been lost. If anyone else dares to enter, the parts you so desperately seek will be destroyed…forever. However, I am not a completely cruel Emperor…as Incentive, I shall reveal the final secret I have left after all these years, a secret I never even installed into the forge or told to anyone else...think of what comes next as motive to pass my final trial. Although it's only a hint…if you're smart, I have faith you'll figure it out. Although…I won't blame you if you can't. After all, it took me a lifetime to figure it out, myself…think of it as my true legacy."**_

Confused, Tatsumi focused on the last part of the inscription to try and understand what it meant when he suddenly felt the stone slab vibrate slightly, new, glowing golden words flaming into existence at the top of the slab!

 _LET GOD AND MAN BECOME ONE_

His eyes scanning over those flaming words dozens of times, Tatsumi finally turned to Kurome and spoke as her eyes also darted over the flaming letters as he spoke.

" **Got any ideas, Kurome? The only hint we have is that it's something he never saw fit to install in the forge…if that's even a hint…"**

After a few seconds, Kurome seemed to give up and shrugged as she turned to him.

"…dunno…maybe one…"

Clearly interested, Tatsumi motioned for her to continue. Scratching her chin as she stared at the letters, Kurome tapped the hilt of Yatsufusa lightly as she spoke and glanced back up at Tatsumi.

"…well…even when we found the forge…if I remember correctly…the place where the results came out…other than Jupiter, who was assembled from the forge itself, was only big enough for a trinket, or a small weapon to come out at best. So, doesn't that still leave one question unanswered, then…?"

Thinking for a moment until he suddenly thought back to Susanoo and the organic Teigu, Tatsumi snapped his armored fingers, a task which was must harder than it sounded, and smiled as he spoke.

" **Oh, of course! How did the organic Teigu like Susanoo come into being, then…maybe the secret of the organic Teigu lies beyond this slab then!"**

However, Kurome only narrowed her eyes as she continued.

"…but it's only a thought. What if their core came out of that slot in the forge, and then they grew around it? We don't know….the mystery of the organic Teigu...its gone unsolved for all these years for a reason, you big metal idiot."

Laughing, Tatsumi shrugged as he turned back towards the entrance of the Mausoleum, where sunlight was still streaming in and illuminating the dark, forgotten place.

" **You always bully me like this…if you aren't careful, I'm going to cry one of these days, you know. It'll be super dramatic, loud and embarrassing, too. I might even do it in public."**

Kurome only sighed as she smoothly gave her retort.

"You'd still be an idiot…You'd just be a loud, annoying idiot."

Sighing and shrugging as if to say ' _whatcha gonna do',_ Tatsumi gestured for Kurome to follow him as he headed towards the door to leave.

" **But I'm your idiot, right? You just can't help but fall for my boyish charm, can you?"**

Kurome was silent until the two of them got back onto the main street and headed for Bols' house, finally speaking as she went back to munching snacks as her face took on a faint red hue.

"...keep walking, you. I-I don't wanna hear another word."

Smiling to himself, Tatsumi waved his hand flippantly as the two of them continued to walk, Tatsumi in the lead as they went.

" **Yeah, yeah…although, that side of you is cute too."**

The two of them fell silent after that, the only noise being an embarrassed squeak that Tatsumi figured he had imagined…

But if he had looked behind him, he would have seen a very embarrassed Kurome, furiously munching on her snacks as if she was digging for buried treasure.

 **XXXXX**

Arriving before a short, non-descript house, Tatsumi gently rapped on the door and immediately heard a fatally cute voice that he assumed belonged to a little girl from the other side.

"DAAAAADYYY, I'LL GET IT!"

Before he had time to muse over that voice for very long, Tatsumi watched on as the door swung open to reveal a little girl who seemed about six or seven standing before them, her smiling form dressed in a summer dress and her long hair blowing gently in the breeze from the newly opened door as she stared up at Tatsumi, his armor making him pretty tall and imposing as her jaw slowly fell open.

"Whoa…"

Before he could speak, he saw an older woman who looked to be in her mid to late twenties and maybe even thirty step behind the little girl who was still looking up at Tatsumi with an awed expression, the woman wiping her hand with a dry cloth as she looked at Tatsumi, and Kurome standing beside him, with surprise before looking at Tatsumi and speaking.

"Ara…might you be my husband's friends from work?"

Looking at each other in surprise, Tatsumi cleared his throat and replied, managing to get over his initial surprise.

"… **O-Oh, yeah…sorry for intruding, Ma'am…"**

Waving her hand side to side, the woman flashed the two of them a warm smile as she stepped aside and gestured for them to come in.

"Oh, hush…it's wonderful to see my husband making friends at his job! And stop with the 'Miss' talk, just call me Cynthia, ok? Come on Emily, out of their way!"

As Cynthia picked up her daughter, whose eyes were still ridiculously wide as she continued to stare at Tatsumi as he ducked under the door frame and into the house, Tatsumi awkwardly bowed after he entered and sheepishly looked around as he spoke.

" **Aha, you'll forgive me if I don't take off my shoes…this armor came at such a deal, the shoes came as part of the set!"**

Chuckling softly, Cynthia patted her daughter Emily's head sweetly as she spoke, her eyes moving up and down Tatsumi's armor.

"My husband….he told me about your situation. I'm sorry."

Falling silent, Tatsumi moved to let Kurome enter behind him, remaining motionless for a few seconds before speaking.

" **Oh…it's fine."**

As Kurome softly removed her shoes, bowed and exchanged greetings with Cynthia and her still speechless daughter, Tatsumi suddenly sprang into action and lifted little Emily high up into the air as he laughed freely and spoke, all his previous mood gone as he twirled the little girl around him like a merry go round.

" **Ah, but enough of that! And uuuuup we go….!"**

As little Emily starting laughing, Tatsumi heard her speak as he spun her around him just as Bols entered the kitchen, where the door to the house was, an apron around his waist as he listened to his daughter speak happily as she spun around Tatsumi.

"Look, Daddy! Your friend is so tall, and he's spinning me around!"

Laughing as he took a few steps closer, Bols watched as she spun by him several times before Tatsumi gently set her down, the two of them watching with amusement as she dizzily stumbled around the room as she tried to speak.

"Awawawawa…..so dizzy…."

Ruffling his daughter's hair and scooping her up into his arms, Bols turned to Tatsumi and Kurome and spread his one free arm as he happily spoke and gestured to his house around him.

"I'm so glad you came too, Kurome-chan! Now the big welcoming dinner I made for Tatsumi can be eaten by even more people! Please, make yourselves at home, ok?"

Scratching his armored head, Tatsumi laughed as he bowed again and replied.

" **In that case…please take care of us. Man Kurome, just think…we're gonna eat together with such a happy family! Isn't it great?"**

Turning to Kurome and patting her on the back, Tatsumi's words seemed to startle Kurome out of her thoughts as she jumped slightly and glanced around the room, surprised, then spoke.

"Huh? Oh…yeah."

A frown spreading across Tatsumi's face beneath his armor as the atmosphere of the room got visibly more depressed at her words, Tatsumi suddenly put both of his massive armored hands on Kurome's waist and grunted as he suddenly hoisted her up into the air, just like he had with little Emily!

" **Quit it with that attitude, Miss dark and gloomy! The only thing I'll accept on your face as of now…is a smile!"**

Whacking his helmet repeatedly as he began to spun her around too like he was imitating a merry-go-round, Kurome looked flustered as she tried to speak.

"P-Put me down, you idiot! What's gotten into you?!"

Finally setting her down, Tatsumi laughed as he patted her on the head and gave his reply.

" **Oh, nothing…just caught up in the atmosphere, I guess…it's been a while since I've been with a family this happy, after all."**

Suddenly, from over beside her husband, Cynthia laughed sweetly and put her hand to her cheek as she suddenly spoke up.

"Hoho…once you two start your own family, maybe we can have our children hang out!"

Completely caught off guard, Tatsumi and Kurome turned in complete and utter unison and looked like they were about to give some sort of reply, but then Kurome's face went slightly red as the two glanced in different directions, clearly embarrassed. Glancing over at his wife, Bols sighed and ruffled his wife's hair in a gesture of mock anger as he spoke to her and gestured to Tatsumi and Kurome.

"Look, you embarrassed them, dear! Let them go at their own pace, young kids like them have plenty of time to think about those things, don't they?"

Suddenly clapping his hands together after he just got done speaking, Bols happily spoke once more as he gestured for everyone to follow him into the kitchen as his cheery voice rung out around the decently sized entryway.

"That's enough talk, everybody! Into the kitchen, it's time for dinner~!"

Smiling despite himself as he watched everybody including Kurome head into the kitchen down the hall, Tatsumi suddenly felt a feeling that he realized he had been sorely lacking for quite a long time, a feeling that he found visited him as he briefly saw himself, Sayo, and Ieyasu as kids dashing around their village, laughing as they chased each other with sticks and had fun…

He realized he was feeling…like he was _home_. Not home as in being at Bols' house and his family, no…he felt truly at home staying with the Jaegers, he realized. Maybe it wasn't quite like his village, and he knew it would never truly replace it in his heart of hearts…but as he realized he cared about Run and his quiet motivation, Wave and the silly façade he put up despite caring about everyone, Stylish being…..well, weird, Kurome being a few feet into the crazy pool but being dependable regardless, and Esdeath being….well, Tatsumi wasn't quite sure where he was going with that last one anyway.

Regardless, he knew that he had come to like them in his own strange way. Coming back to reality as he felt something hard clang against his helmet, he glanced down to see Kurome standing before him, her face as cool and collected as it always was as she held Yatsufusa in her hand after presumably rapping him on the helmet with it just then. Glancing down at her, Tatsumi ruffled her hair against her will and cracked a smile inside his helmet as she spoke.

"S-Stop that…anyway, what were you thinking about something just now?"

Pausing for a moment as he could have sworn he saw Sayo in place of Kurome just then, her face scrunched with worry, Tatsumi managed to recover from his shock and softly replied as he walked past her, and into the kitchen where Emily's wails of 'I'm hungry!' could be heard.

"… **about what a wonderful new home I've found myself a part of, that's all….and maybe that I've even found a reason to keep on living, despite being encased inside this metal tomb...a reason to strive to find a way** _ **out**_ **of this tin can…"**

Pausing at the doorway, Tatsumi listened as Kurome gave him a quick reply, her voice a little quieter than normal as she spoke.

"And what would that be?"

Sighing and slumping his shoulders, Tatsumi turned around slowly and looked beyond Kurome as he replied, his voice distant as he spoke.

"… **Bols' cooking. I mean seriously, can his cooking get any better?! I want to get better just so I can keep enjoying i-"**

Before he could even finish, he watched as Kurome's face flushed and she stared daggers at him in a _I'll-give-you-one-more-chance-to-try-that-again-before-I-stab-you_ glare which made Tatsumi shudder as he held up his hands in mock surrender, laughing.

" **Sorry, sorry…old habit. But in all seriousness…and god knows this has been** _ **way**_ **overdue…"**

Watching with mild interest as Tatsumi broke the seals on his helmet and removed it from the rest of his armor, Kurome watched as his ghostly white skin which seemed almost transparent shifted along with his colorless hair that sat atop his head as he smiled and took a step forward. Suddenly grabbing her and pulling her close to him, Kurome was completely taken off guard as Tatsumi pressed his ghostly white, dry lips to hers and kissed her with as must passion as his nearly deceased body could muster as they held that pose for nearly a minute, simply savoring the warmth of each other's embrace until Tatsumi finally set her back down and smiled wider than Kurome was sure he had ever smiled before, a tear streaming down his cheek as he spoke.

"…I love you, Kurome…so much. Thank you so much for being there for me all this time, even after I turned into this giant armored monstrosity who can't even properly hold you….thank you for sticking by me even after all this, and simply staying yourself instead of being disgusted with how I look now. Without you…I'm afraid I might not have cared to keep going much longer inside this armor, inside this constant hell where I'm almost dying every second of every day, trapped in a purgatory of non-death 24 hours a day…"

Still speechless, Kurome felt his massive armored hand brush her hair as he continued, the tears rolling down his face even harder now.

"I've lost everything…my village, my childhood friends, one of which isn't even the person I remember him as….I've lost everything that anchors me to this world…everything but you, and this little band of collective wierdos we call the Jaegers….and I love you so much for being there for me all this time, for being the one shining light at the end of this tunnel I've found myself stuck in…"

Finally seeming to realize he was crying, Tatsumi softly sniffled as he gently clicked his helmet back into place, pausing for a few seconds before hollowly laughing and speaking again, his voice once again distorted as it passed through his helmet.

" **Guess my tear ducts still work…haha…"**

And then, as if he was afraid of any response he might get, Tatsumi quickly headed for the kitchen, pausing to speak one final time before leaving the entryway.

"… **sorry if I'm bad at kissing….never really done it before, haha….oh geez that was so nerve wracking…"**

And then, he was gone, leaving Kurome to stand there with a surprised look on her face as she stood there, one of her hands slowly moving up and brushing against her lips…as if she never wanted to forget the feeling that she felt right now, and the words she had just heard…as if she wanted to keep them in her heart forever.

' _I love you, Kurome.'_

At that moment, Kurome wished she could make that moment last forever.

 **XXXXX**

In a dimly lit room in the imperial palace, the minister was sitting in front of a large table with a map laid atop it, several markers that represented the armies in the area pegged onto the map as a thin, wiry man spoke from beside him, his voice firm and resolute, yet slightly shaky.

"As you can see, sir…the last of the villages we've been using as shields has been overcome, and our troops have been expunged from the area. At this rate, sire….the rebels will make windfall at the capital in roughly a day's time…our delaying tactics didn't account to much more, I'm afraid. And what's worse, General Budo claims the defenses need at least another day and a half to get fully operational…and the plans you asked me to put in motion need about that much as well. We need more time!"

Frowning and scratching his excessively large chin, the minister nodded grimly as he tore a chunk from the drumstick he was holding in his hand and replied.

"Hrm….how troublesome. Is there any way we might delay them more?"

After another brief period of silence, the wiry man seemed to realize something and gently tapped a certain location on the map that was deep in the mountains that were to the south of the capital as he replied.

"Perhaps, sire….the rebel army, on it's path to the capital….as you can see _here_ …."

He tapped the location in the mountains on the map again.

"…they will be forced to proceed through one of the small paths through the southern mountains if they wish to arrive in the shortest path possible without going around the mountains entirely…a feat that they have no time for. If someone, we could find someone capable enough…we might be able to block up that tiny passage and force them into a tight position where numbers count for nothing, where superior fighters might be able to stall them long enough for us to prepare our defenses. But alas, all our soldiers and Special Forces are occupied here in the capital…"

As the two fell silent once more, not one of them spoke for several minutes until the minister suddenly seemed to think of something as he snapped his meaty fingers and chortled happily.

"Ohoho, of course! That Tatsumi boy still owes me a favor or two, does he not…? Then we shall send him!"

The wiry man immediately smiled as he bowed and replied, his actions completely subservient as he replied.

"Ah, genius! I shall dispatch a messenger to fetch the boy right away!"

Pleased with themselves, the two men laughed as they awaited Tatsumi's arrival.

 **XXXXX**

 **A Few Hours Later**

"M-Message for T-Tatsumi…."

Frowning as he looked down at the tiny messenger, Tatsumi sighed as he took the letter from the boy's hands and spoke.

" **That's me…thank you.** "

Waving as the messenger ran off, Tatsumi opened up the fancy looking letter and glanced over briefly as he heard Kurome walk up behind him.

 _Dear Tatsumi,_

 _Your presence is requested at the Imperial Palace immediately for a matter of utmost national security…the Rebel Army is on the move._

 _We will not take no for an answer this time._

 _See you soon._

 _-The Minister_

Realizing it was a good thing he found Bulat after he had eaten and alerted him to the location of the Emperor's tomb so he could attempt the 'trials' spoke of on the wall before this important letter came up, Tatsumi realized that Kurome was behind him.

Frowning, Tatsumi turned back to Kurome and put his finger to her lip to silence the words he could see forming on the tip of her tongue.

After he had confessed to her a few hours ago before dinner, they had never been able to get alone long enough for her to speak what he knew must be on her mind….

Softly stopping her, Tatsumi piped up as he showed the letter to her as he spoke.

" **Not now…I know you must have so much to say to me right now….I know I'm not being fair right now by running away, but I promise…"**

Pausing momentarily, Tatsumi continued.

" **I promise I'll listen to whatever you want to say to me, bad or otherwise, when I come back….ok?"**

Just as she was about to speak up anyway, Kurome realized what Tatsumi was trying to say to her.

She realized that this was his way of saying _I'll definitely come back_ to her, of saying that no matter how this letter he had just got was going to be, that he was going to be coming back to her, so she shouldn't be worrying about him.

It didn't stop her from worrying, though. And she was still slightly angry with him as she nodded slowly and responded.

"…fine. I'll trust you."

Tatsumi patted her head gently as he spoke once more before moving towards the door.

" **I know…you can be as mad as you want at me when I come back, ok? But this minister…he's calling one of his favors, and I can't really say no…so I'll just go finish this up, and I'll be back before you know it…I promise."**

Kurome found herself only able to watch as Tatsumi turned and headed out of Bols' house, his massive form shrinking slowly into the distance as Kurome watched on with stoic eyes, her lips moving ever so slightly as she found herself speaking, as if trying to call out to his retreating back, shout out the feelings that were roiling inside her ever since his confession to her a few hours prior…

"… _I love you too."_

Whether she knew it or not, Kurome quietly whispered those words as Tatsumi walked off in the direction of the palace, her hand tightly gripped around the hilt of Yatsufusa.

She was confident he'd keep his word, and come back to her.

 **I….HAVE RETURNED! So yeah, no worries guys, I'm not dead or anything. Or too bad, depending on if you hate me for not releasing for so long. Well, not that I'd blame you…college picked up super suddenly, and things happened suddenly. I won't lie, some natural laziness probably played a part in their somewhere. But enough excuses. In any case, here's a new chapter for you guys, I hope you like it! And also, I'm super happy that I got to progress Tatsumi and Kurome's relationship a little bit more here, I can't wait to see where it ends up next chapter, not to mention that fact that Bulat might be able to get a Teigu to replace Incursio, when he sacrificed it to build Jupiter!** **And with a 300-esque showdown with Tatsumi and the entire Revolutionary army looming on the horizon, it seems like there's going to be loads of excitement next time! Thanks for reading, guys, I love it when I get reviews, and I do read all of them! It's just that programming's been taking up waaaaay to much of my time.**


	15. Chapter 15: Match for a thousand

**Chapter Fifteen: Match for a thousand**

"Isn't there any other way?"

After a brief pause, the woman with a metal right arm and an eyepatch on her right eye took a slow drag from what she was smoking, blowing the smoke towards the hole in the top of the tent as she replied.

"…'fraid not. Not unless we want to give them another few days to prepare by going around. However….I don't think that they'll even be able to send anyone, even if that bastard Minister tells them to…after wiping out so many of their soldiers on the way here, if they spare many more to delay us here they'll leave the capital open, Jaegars or not. At best….they'll be a small number of them stationed in the pass."

After the other generals standing around the tent seemed to nod in quiet assent, another one of them spoke up as he tapped his pointer finger on the map that was spread out on the table before them, his finger tapping the location of the narrow mountain pass in question as he spoke.

"Then we have no choice….we'll just have to crush any defenses in that pass with the weight of our numbers, get up on the top of the cliffs surrounding the path and hit them from above…there has to be a way to get up there."

Then, another General frowned as he spoke up, his tattered general's outfit flapping in a slight breeze that had found its way into the tent as he spoke.

"Fool…numbers won't mean anything in that path. Not if they've sent capable warriors. Najenda, will Night Raid be ready in time to spearhead the assault on the mountain pass…? We might need them to break through and get to the capital on schedule."

After taking another long drag from what she was smoking, Najenda frowned and glanced towards the entrance of the tent as she replied.

"…as much as I'd like to say yes, they're still on route. At best, they'll arrive in a day or so, I think….we'll just have to give it our all until then. If necessary, I'll join the fray myself to tip the scales."

After silence descended upon the tent of generals, the man near the front, his general's coat torn where he had ripped his medals off, sighed and whispered the words that were on most of their minds.

"…heavens protect us all…."

 **XXXXX**

 **One day prior**

 **"Well, I'm here…what was so important that you needed call me here at this hour, now….minister?"**

As Tatsumi stood in the same dimly lit room in the Imperial palace, a massive map spread out on a circular table before him and the Minister sitting at the far end, a tall wiry man standing beside him, the minister gestured to the bespectacled wiry man.

Stepping forward, the wiry man cleared his throat as he addressed Tatsumi.

"Well, young…er…man..? In any case, as stated in the missive we sent to you, the rebel army is on the move."

After a brief pause, the man continued.

"….and in fact, they are moving entirely too quickly for us. If they are allowed to continue at their current pace, they will arrive before General Budo will have had a chance to prepare the Capital's defenses….a feat which cannot be allowed to pass, under ANY circumstances."

As a tense silence settled over the room, the wiry man seemed about to continue when gouts of steam burst from various seams on Jupiter's massive frame, something equivalent to an annoyed snort as Tatsumi's powerful mechanized voice boomed throughout the room.

" **Enough. Just tell me why I'm here.** "

Setting the food he had been eating down, a rare sight for him, the minister let loose a hearty laugh which shook his large chin.

"Ohohoho….still as brash and headstrong as ever, I see."

After a brief pause, Tatsumi's armored gauntlets tensed up as he spoke again, clearly annoyed.

" **Let's just say you dragged me away from someone very dear to me, and I'm slightly annoyed. Just get to the point."**

With a sigh, the Minister went back to eating and bid the wiry man continue as he mumbled to himself.

"…youngsters these days….so tense…."

Before Tatsumi could respond to his words, the wiry man continued.

"A-Anyway! The rebel army cannot, under any circumstances, be allowed to reach the capital before General Budo finishes the defenses….and to combat this problem, you have been conscripted to hold the rebels at bay, here-"

Tapping the location of the mountain pass on the map laid out before them, the wiry man continued as he pointed to a giant red X drawn not far to the south.

"-and here….is where the rebels are currently. You will be gifted with around three hundred of the minister's elite guard to hold the pass, and your mission will simply be thus:"

Clearing this throat, the wiry man readjusted his spectacles.

"Survive. Quite simple, is it not?"

Falling silent, Tatsumi seemed to examine the map for a few minutes before finally speaking, his voice slightly less tense.

" **Hmph. At least it's not a completely stupid idea, like I thought it would be…..I think it seems doable….with Jupiter, at least. Unless they send Night Raid to spearhead the charge, I can safely say I can hold my own against their peons for well over a day. But, I see another problem…** "

After another pause, Tatsumi's mechanized voice boomed out over the room so suddenly that the minister yelped and dropped the food he had been inhaling.

" **HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET BACK?!** "

With a hacking cough, the minister turned to Tatsumi and spoke, clearly unhappy.

"Mercy's sake, boy! Enough with the yelling!"

Letting out another sigh as he rubbed his ears, the minister frowned as he looked at Tatsumi like he was crazy, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"Get back? Don't be silly, boy. You are to buy time as long as you can, of course….your pitiful lives are meaningless compared to mine, after al-"

 _THWACK!_

With an ear-shatteringly loud crack, Tatsumi brought his metal gauntlet down on the wooden table and rendered it into countless tiny pieces as he roared angrily at the minister.

" **NOT. ACCEPTABLE.** "

However, the minister merely continued leisurely eating his food as he looked up at Tatsumi and smirked.

"Ho…? If you refuse to take this mission, then I suppose I'll just have to look elsewhere for someone to help me…"

" **Good. Do that. Sick bastard…** "

However, the minister's next words froze Tatsumi in his tracks, the minister's voice making Tatsumi's skin crawl as he grinned evilly.

"A person like…that beloved 'Kurome' you seem so fond of, perhaps?"

As a deathly silence filled the room, Tatsumi's hulking, armored form slowly turned towards the minister as his voice rang out softly from his helmet, so soft that one might miss it if they weren't listening.

" **Don't. Just…Don't. If you say that one more time, If you even** _ **think**_ **that one more time, I might just use that oil running through your veins to light this damned palace on fire myself.** "

With a grin full of malice, the Minister merely twirled a fork in his hands.

"Then I have every confidence that you'll obey my orders. After all, a dog isn't useful unless it obeys the commands its master gives to it, right? Good boy."

As the two glared daggers at each other, Tatsumi finally caved as he slammed his fist into the nearby wall.

" **ARGH! Fine. I'll do it. Fine….you win.** "

With a derisive snort, the Minister waved his hand dismissively.

"Hmph, of course I win. I always win. In any case, head to the city gates at once to meet up with the men I'm sending with you. Once you meet up with them, head immediately to the mountain pass and dig in as best you can. That'll be all."

After another moment of pause, Tatsumi finally lumbered towards the door as he let out an explosive sigh.

" **Fine. I'll make sure not one of those revolutionary army bastards gets through that pass alive….I need something to vent this anger on right now, anyway. You're lucky that's not your face.** "

With that, Tatsumi simply walked through the door and left the room, the rubble that was once the wall settling on the ground as the wiry man slumped to his knees, clearly stressed.

"W-What a terrifying presence…"

The minister merely rolled his eyes.

 **XXXXX**

Standing on top of the southern ramparts of the capital near the southern gate and casting his murderous gaze towards the distant mountains, General Budo's aura crackled with thunder and lightning as he remained stoically silent, his golden hair rippling in the wind as a murmur escaped his lips.

"Not once…not once while this city has been under my watch have these walls been breached….and by the honor of my family, long honored and famed as the walls against which all shall break…."

His eyes suddenly shining with thunderous resolve, Budo's aura raged with the fury of the god of thunder itself, the rampart he was standing on shaking as if even it was scared of the man who now stood upon it, clad it thunder and lightning, his gaze steel.

"I declare that not one of these vermin shall make it into this city alive. They will throw themselves again and again upon these walls….and like ants before a tidal wave, they shall be broken upon these mighty ramparts! By my honor, I swear this. On the honor of all those who came before me, on the honor of all those who have served this kingdom with distinction…I shall be the wall against all the foes of this empire shall break. Teigu wielder, or otherwise!"

As he finished speaking these words that sounded much more like a promise to himself than words spoken with the intention of getting a reply, Budo turned as he saw the Emperor standing on the wall behind him, smiling as he glanced up towards his towering form.

"Your highness!"

With a wave of his staff, the Emperor laughed happily, a rare reminder of the young boy's true age which was so often overshadowed by the mighty burden he carried all the days of his life.

"At ease, General."

Watching as the tiny boy climbed up onto the ramparts beside Budo and looked out over the plains as he spoke, Budo realized his voice strangely lacked the normal Royal tone it possessed.

"General…..my father once told me that it is the Emperor's solemn duty to carry the dreams and wishes of all his vassals on his shoulders, to be their beacon and guiding light….for so long, I've tried to understand what he meant by that."

Glancing down at the young boy who currently sounded old beyond his years, General Budo allowed himself a rare smile as he listened just as the Emperor turned to him and looked right into his eyes.

"And now….I think I've figured it out, General. As the Emperor, it's my duty to lead my people, to always be the person my people strive to become themselves…..and until now, I've been, well…quite lax in this duty. Horrific, even….I've allowed that horrible Minister to corrupt my mind with his sweet, honeyed words, and as a result the empire that my people have built now stands on the brink of utter annihilation, teetering on the edge of a boundless abyss from which it might never recover. But now…I know what I must do. Even more so now that the darkness has surrounded us so thoroughly, I must become that shining beacon of light in this sea of darkness, a light which all my people shall flock towards and take shelter beneath. That…that is my path. That is the path of an Emperor."

His smile widening, General Budo felt mild surprise as he realized a tear was gathering in the corner of his eye!

 _This….he sounds so much like his father….so bright and vibrant, so bright that it's almost blinding…_

Thinking thusly, Budo nodded slowly as he spoke.

"I…I cannot express in words how proud I am, and how proud I'm sure your father would be as well, at seeing you truly find your path even in these dark, desperate times. Perhaps….you may make an excellent emperor yet."

With an indignant puff of his cheeks in a rare display of childishness, the Emperor whacked his staff against Budo's legs.

"Silence, you! The Emperor tolerates no back talk while he is trying to give inspiring speeches!"

Laughing despite himself, Budo signaled his surrender by raising his hands.

"Ahaha, of course, of course….forgive me."

Re-adjusting his hat and staff, the little Emperor coughed softly.

"Ahem. In any case…"

Slamming his staff against the ground, the Emperor's eyes flashed sternly as he spoke once more in his Royal tone.

"Good luck, General."

With a nod, Budo rolled his shoulders cockily.

"Hah! I don't need luck, your highness…but thank you. I promise that if we survive this, I will lead you into that throne of yours myself and eject that Minister from the highest point in the palace. I have tolerated his foolishness long enough, and my sworn duty to protect this empire does not include trash like him!"

In the wake of Budo's ironclad resolve, the General and the Emperor looked upon each other with gazes of friendship as they braced themselves for what was to come…

 **XXXXX**

 **The same time, near the southern gate**

Exiting the massive gate, Tatsumi glanced around his surroundings and quickly saw a group of three hundred heavily armored men standing in loose formation not far from where he was currently, their jet black armor and long spears looking intimidating in the afternoon sun as their leader seemed to notice Tatsumi.

"I'm guessin' you're the one who's leading us on this suicide mission…"

Lumbering over to where the soldiers were standing and chatting amongst themselves, Tatsumi nodded, his voice ringing out over the men and silencing them by the virtue of how booming it was.

" **Yeah…does that mean you guys are the ones coming with me?** "

With a wry smile, a nearby soldier laughed and spoke.

"Who else who volunteer for this suicide mission? Well, 'Volunteer' might be too generous…"

Almost instantly, another soldier nearby whacked the man who had just spoken upside the head and frowned.

"'Volunteered' my ass. Like we had much choice….if we hadn't 'volunteered' for this damned suicide mission, we were told our families might come down with some 'serious illnesses'. What a load of shit…."

"Hey, come on guys…I dunno 'bout you, but I feel a little safer having a walking armored regiment on our side."

Feeling slightly awkward being the center of attention, Tatsumi laughed softly as the soldiers continued chatting amongst themselves, their faces strangely full of life and emotion despite the war and likely the deaths that they were walking into.

"You got that right. With the commander over here taking the lead, I'll feel a little safer seeing that massive hunk of metal in front of me….let's see those revolutionary bastards take down a Jaegar!"

"You idiot, what if they send Night Raid?"

"Ah. Right…."

Smiling despite himself, Tatsumi finally spoke again as he glanced out over the soldiers before him.

" **I appreciate that, guys….whether or not you were forced into being here, I promise you this…** "

Taking a breath out of habit, Tatsumi continued.

" **I'll do my best to keep each and every one of you alive. I know the pain of having loved ones to return to….and whether or not you have family waiting for you here, there's certainly something each of you holds dear that you don't want to lose. I promise, I won't let you down…I'll protect that something, on my honor as one of the Jaegars!** "

As all the soldiers glanced at each other, one of them laughed in near the back.

"I like this guy!"

"Yeah!"

"Three cheers for the new commander!"

"YEAAH!"

"Drinks are on him when we get back!"

Scowling, the captain beside Tatsumi barked out a reply.

"What idiot said that?! Making the commander pay for drinks….obviously, drinks are on the most useless one out of you lot when we get back! Whoever kills the least amount of rebels buys the drinks!"

With a laugh, Tatsumi extended his hand to the leader.

" **You guys are like a family….it's good to see that, especially now. Well, I'm Tatsumi. Nice to officially meet you all…**. **Please take good care of me.** "

With a laugh, the captain barely managed to shake Tatsumi's huge gauntleted hand.

"Bahahaha, don't worry about it, boy! If there's one thing we of the elite guard strive to keep intact, it's our sense of humor! And our rugged good looks, of course."

"Who said you were good looking, captain? You're the one who always get shot down when we go into town!"

"Speak for yourself! I'll have you lot know I'm just nice, and I try to let you ugly bastards have a shot!"

"Hah! Keep talking big, captain!"

Rubbing his temples, the captain sighed as he turned back to Tatsumi.

"It's a miracle I'm not bald by now, managing these idiots…"

" **Ahahaha, seriously…you guys should start a comedy troupe or something.** "

With another sigh, the captain cracked a wry smile as he responded.

"Yeah, we get that a lot….but it's not exactly like we have a whole bunch of choice as to our career path at the moment. Once you enter the elite guard, you never leave."

Suddenly shaking his head, the captain seemed to change the topic as his voice returned to its normal, commanding self.

"But enough chit-chat! Straighten up those backs, you useless louts….we march in five!"

Turning to Tatsumi, the captain bowed formally.

"In any case, we'll be in your care, Tatsumi of the Jaegars….for better or for worse."

" **Ah….please, raise your head, Captain. I thank you, and again….please take care of me as well….let's do our best to buy the capital as much time as we can."**

A solemn atmosphere suddenly hanging over them like storm clouds, the soldiers and Tatsumi slowly trudged off to the south like noble warriors, some of their faces grim and some of their faces stoic….as if they were marching straight into hell itself, yet possessed no fear.

And in many ways….perhaps it _was_ hell that awaited them.

 **XXXXX**

 **Near the summit of a mountain, southeast of the capital**

"The battle will be quite fierce, brother Alexei."

Slowly scratching his chin, the other eastern man standing delicately near the top of the mountain nodded and replied.

"Indeed, brother Jakov…many of god's tools will be forced to fight each other in this war thanks to the heathenistic actions of this corrupt empire, mere weapons they will use to commit horrible genocides and slaughters in the name of war. How….very _barbaric_."

"Brother….we cannot blame them for not being able to appreciate the wonderful light of god…for here in the western nations that seem to be ruled by naught but barbarians…"

"…they cannot possibly be worthy of receiving his glory, or his grace…right, brother?"

"Right…brother. Soon….soon, the wrath of the Jade Dragon will bring these wretched barbarians to their knees, and teach them…"

"…how to kneel before god."

Chuckling in unison, the two brothers glanced at the distant capital as Alexei spoke.

"But we mustn't get ahead of ourselves, brother. The time…"

"…is not yet right, brother. I know. I know….and yet, the sight of these barbarians struggling so impressively to survive, and still not know the warmth of god's embrace…."

"…is truly pitiful. I understand your feelings, brother…we are one, remember? But we cannot let our feelings for these pitiful barbarians affect our role as watchers..."

"…for as the eyes of god are impartial beyond measure…so shall ours be. I remember…our motto has not left my head, brother Alexei. I am still able to find my thoughts….if nothing else."

Slowly glancing at his twin armlets with sadness, Jakov sighed as he continued.

"…my thoughts are the one thing I wish I _could_ lose, sometimes…"

Clapping a hand on Jakov's shoulder, Alexei smiled warmly as his simple eastern robes billowed in the intense mountain wind.

"Be at ease, brother…so long as I exist, you shall never be truly lost. Now…we have spent enough time here chatting. It is time to return to the Jade Palace and report our findings…"

"Indeed, brother. Let us begin the long journey…"

Pausing, almost like he was afraid to say the words, Jakov whispered a few seconds later before vanishing along with Alexei.

"… _the journey home._ "

 **XXXXX**

 **The same time, just west of the capital**

"Yeah, that's the stuff…you fight pretty good for a one-eyed cripple."

"And you fight pretty good for a man with hair sharp enough to kill someone."

Staring at each other in tense silence, Bulat and Ieyasu paused and fell silent for a full three seconds before bursting out into laughter and shaking hands as Bulat spoke.

"You've advanced excellently in these past few days, kid….you remind me of when I'd give Tatsumi pointers on how to be awesome, like me…ah, good times."

Chuckling softly, flecks of blood mixed in with his cough, Ieyasu cracked a rare smile and replied as he leaned on his cane, the tip still smoldering.

"I can imagine….I could tell. It really showed in that armor, you know…it must bring out his hair or something."

Narrowing his eyes, Bulat jabbed his finger into Ieyasu's chest.

"You mocking me, kid? You're mocking me, aren't you?"

"Nah….you're imagining it."

"…hmph. Fine. Be jealous…"

Wiping the blood off of his chin, Ieyasu seemed to get serious as he looked at his cane.

"…do I have a chance?"

A silence descending between the two, a silence borne of mutual understanding as warriors, it only took a few seconds of silence before Ieyasu clicked his tongue and sighed.

"Tsk….damn it. I thought I'd come far…but maybe I don't even match up to her foot. Damn it…!"

Slamming his cane on the ground and biting his lip, Ieyasu huffed in frustration as Bulat scratched his head and sighed.

"Listen, kid…I'd say I would have had trouble back when I had _Incursio_ …..and no matter how good you are….she has a _Teigu_. You may have a fancy cane, but….without another Teigu, you have no chance. That's just…an unofficial rule, I guess. Only a Teigu wielder can kill a Teigu wielder….It's nigh-impossible to kill one otherwise."

Turning to Bulat with a fire in his eyes, Ieyasu looked about ready to start attacking him with his cane as he spoke, his voice as cold as the ice which ran through Esdeath's veins.

"Then tell me where to get one."

"Hah! You think it's that easy? Only forty-eight were ever made, kid…..and Tatsumi's _Pluto/Thanatos_ is-er, was…one of the only Teigu that was missing and found again. I'd say it's near impossible for you to get one. Besides, Jupiter wasn't one of the forty…it was created later, so It doesn't count. It'd be more likely for Esdeath to die of old age before you got a Teigu, kid…I'm sorry to say it, but it's true."

Gnashing his teeth again, Ieyasu let out a snort.

"Hmph. I refuse to believe it's impossible to kill a Teigu wielder without another Teigu. I refuse to believe that! Nothing in this world in infallible…nothing. Man, Woman, Sadistic Ice _Bitch_ …"

Spewing his words like he was insulting the very air he was breathing, Ieyasu continued.

"…everyone is equal in death. No one is immune to it, and no one can overcome it….that rule applies to the Teigu as well. So no matter what…don't you tell me it's _impossible_. Even if it's not…I'll _make_ it possible! For Sayo! For our village! For Tatsumi, who got put in that walking metal coffin….for all of them, I'll kill Esdeath if it's the last thing I do."

Letting out a sigh of resignation, Bulat spoke.

"….I get it, kid. I do. Truly….so, I won't tell you that it can't be done. Go out there, break that rule, show the world that we aren't invincible….I'll be rooting for you, ok? And when you do…"

Smiling once again, Bulat clapped Ieyasu on the back as he continued.

"…tell them all that I was the one who trained you, eh?"

Chuckling despite himself, Ieyasu seemed to relax slightly as he nodded.

"Hahaha….yeah. I will…bro."

"You…you said it! You called me bro! Aha, I knew you had it in you….wasn't so hard, was it?"

"G-Get off me! Jeez! Stop hugging the cripple, you idiot! Your hair is stabbing me in my eye!"

"O-Oh, right…aha. My bad."

Sighing as Bulat separated from him, Ieyasu spoke as he fidgeted with his eyepatch.

"I don't have time…I'll have to face her like this. This rebellion is my chance to catch her off guard…I won't get another chance like this. Hmm…"

Falling deep into thought, Ieyasu jumped as Bulat gently tapped his shoulder and began heading towards the nearby western gate to the capital, a spear resting on his shoulder as he called back to him and waved.

"Best of luck, kid….as for me, I was told a juicy little tidbit by Tatsumi earlier that just might get me back one of my most cherished possessions, so I'm gonna go do that now. See you 'round, kid."

Focusing his one eye on Bulat's retreating back, Ieyasu sighed softly as he began hobbling slowly after him.

"What a guy…for now, I'll try to find that girl Tatsumi's always getting lovey-lovey with, maybe she can give me some pointers on how to rip Esdeath's head off nice and good. Probably a bad idea to go near Jaegar HQ, though…Ice Bitch might see me. I'd imagine she'd enjoy making my head into a nice mantelpiece for her fireplace."

Falling deep into thought as he entered the city and began wandering with no real direction, Ieyasu continued to mumble.

"…maybe she'd be shopping in the market district? Damn it, I should have asked Tatsumi when I had a chance….or bro, for that matter. He'd probably know where to find her…I think."

 _THWACK!_

Feeling himself collide with something or someone, Ieyasu grunted and blinked his eye a few times before staggering backwards and speaking.

"Ah-sorry about that…having one eye can do that to a guy…"

Focusing his gaze, Ieyasu saw a girl spread out on the cobblestone before him, rubbing her head and glancing around at the little cookies spread out around her.

"Hey, It's you….Tatsumi's girl…"

Feeling her gaze instantly becoming sharp enough to cut him in half, Ieyasu barely managed to keep himself from leaping back out of instinct as he knelt down and began to pick up her snack bag for her.

"Jeez, sorry! What, you not recognize me? I'm that ugly lump of meat you rescued from Esdeath's sadist palace….the one that Doctor saved."

Feeling her gaze soften, Ieyasu yelped as she slapped his hand the moment he went to pick up one of the snacks.

"You can't have any."

 _This girl…._

"I didn't want any! Jeez!"

Standing up and watching her quickly gather the rest and put them in the bag he offered her, Ieyasu helped her to her feet as she looked him up and down and straightened her outfit as she spoke, her voice one of slight interest.

"You…you look better than before."

"Yeah, well….I clean up nice. I guess."

"Mm."

"You….don't say much, do you?"

"Mm."

"Hah…."

Sighing and ruffling his own hair with his free hand, Ieyasu spoke.

"Jeez….listen, I have a question for you."

Opening his mouth to speak, Ieyasu felt himself unable to form the words he wanted, his gaze dropping as he realized something.

 _I don't want to drag her into this…I doubt Tatsumi's told her about me wanting to kill Esdeath…better for her not to be involved in my suicidal desires. As much as I want to drag her into this for my own satisfaction….I…I just can't. I can't do that to my friend's girl. It's not what Sayo wouldn't wanted, and it's not what I want either, damn it. Why is my conscience coming back now, of all times…?_

Sighing, Ieyasu smiled as he spoke, his voice containing a hint of its old, jovial self.

"That Tatsumi's treating you nice, right? If he's not, just tell me and I'll whomp him one for ya!"

"Pfft…! Ahahaha!"

Blinking twice in utter confusion at hearing the girl before him, who was normally what you'd imagine if you gave a stone wall a face, stoic and not very talkative, laughing like a cute girl her age might, Ieyasu couldn't find anything to say as she continued, a smile peeking through her stoic façade.

"Hah….you really care about him, don't you?"

Recovering from his initial shock, Ieyasu flashed a toothy grin and nodded.

"You bet I do…he's all I got left in this world. And…my best friend, even now…"

Feeling a profound sadness cling to his chest, Ieyasu found himself at a loss for words until he felt her gently lift his head up, her finger pushing up on his chin as she spoke and her voice surprisingly warm as it soothed him.

"…never stop caring about him. You get it, don't you? Our wishes, our love and caring for him, whether as a best friend or something else….it's all he has left, trapped inside that metal suit. It's the only link to his past life he has left…so never let him forget about it, not ever! He needs more than just me, more than just someone to love him…he needs you, someone to love him not as a man…."

Pausing to brush her silky black hair behind her ear, the girl smiled as she continued, turning her gaze towards the clear blue sky.

"….but as a _friend_. So no matter what you may want, no matter how much you two may be at odds like I figure you are because of your desire to kill _her_ ….never, _ever…._ let that stand between you two. No one in this world….no one deserves to die alone. No one deserves to live alone….that's something that I know all too well. The pain of being torn away from a loved one, of living away from them…."

Feeling his heart strangely clear up at her words, Ieyasu felt a smile creep onto his face as he merely smirked and laughed.

"Hah….and here I figured you wouldn't know about me wanting to off your boss…guess you're not Tatsumi's girl for nothing. You're…you're really something, you know that?"

As the girl slowly returned to her usual, stone-faced demeanor, she smirked ever so slightly as she replied.

"It wasn't that hard to imagine…anyone would want revenge after what she did to you. But, listen…as you are now, without a Teigu, missing an eye and most of one leg…you can't beat her. No matter how much training you do…nothing can prepare you for fighting her."

 _Damn it, not you too….!_

Clenching his fists, Ieyasu clenched his teeth in anger.

"I refuse…to believe that! Nothing in this world is invincible….why else would half of these things be missing or destroyed? I…I can't believe that I wouldn't even be able to stand the tiniest of a chance as I am now….because…if I did…"

Pausing as a line of blood trickled down his cheek from where he had been biting his lip, Ieyasu continued in a voice so quiet Kurome barely managed to hear it as he began to hobble away.

"…. _I wouldn't be able to face Sayo."_

Watching Ieyasu begin to hobble away, Kurome bid him farewell one final time before continuing on her short trip back to Jaegar HQ, a look of profound sadness in her eyes as she watched him leave.

"…good luck."

"Hmph."

A grunt was Ieyasu's only response as he hobbled out of sight. Turning down a nearby street corner and into an alleyway, Ieyasu sighed and sat down on a stack of boxes as he examined the cane he had gotten not long ago.

"You have to have some sort of secret…there has to be some hidden switch to make you turn into 'Super awesome Teigu destroyer mode', right? Come on…."

Running his hands over the length and handle of the cane, Ieyasu was about to give up when he suddenly felt a stray splinter of wood prick him in the finger!

"Ouch! Shit….damned thing…."

However, as he sucked his thumb to get the blood off, he watched as a few drops of his blood splashed down onto the shaft of the blade directly over the inscription _,_ Ieyasu continued to nurse his injuries until suddenly, a gentle flash of light drew his eyes to the shaft of the cane!

"Hmmm…? What's this…"

Watching with interest as the blood that had fallen onto the cane began to seep into it like a sponge, Ieyasu felt his breath vanish from his lungs as the inscription began to waver and change! Letting a few more drops of blood splash down onto the shaft, Ieyasu watched as the letters reformed themselves before his very eyes like they were alive!

 _TERRAX, RATTLER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH_

"What…? The hell does that mean…? Whoa…!"

Wincing and dropping the cane as a spike extended from the handle where he had been holding and pricked his finger, Ieyasu suddenly felt himself feeling faint…

 **XXXXX**

Blinking his eyes, Ieyasu glanced around his surroundings and noticed he was in what seemed to be a workshop that had been used for quite some time, with dozens of random blueprints, sketches, and scribblings covering the floor, walls, and ceiling as Ieyasu saw a young man no older than 20 cradling the corpse of an incredibly old man.

"No….father…please, don't leave me! I don't know…I don't know how to run this empire you've made! How can I ever measure up to you? What will I do, now that our greatest and first emperor…..has passed?"

 _Whoa…is that old guy…the first emperor?_

Noticing that he passed right through anything he tried to touch, Ieyasu quickly realized that this must be some sort of vision the cane was showing him, and listened to the young man's tear-choked words.

"Father….father…!"

 _Poor kid…so young, and already the new emperor._

After a short while, an armored soldier dressed in fanciful, decorated armor softly strode into the room as the young man spoke.

"…I won't let the great life you lived be snuffed out so easily, father."

Turning his head slightly back towards the soldier, the young man spoke with a voice suddenly as firm as steel itself.

"Tell Svarthad to fire up the forge, General."

His eyes going wide, the decorated soldier seemed shocked.

"Y-You can't mean….the forge was designed for danger beasts, your highness! With all due respect, you can't desecrate his lordship's corpse like-"

Interrupting the soldier with a booming shout, the young man spoke.

"Silence! Would you rather see his body wither away in the royal tomb, then? A relic of greatness our grandchildren will visit and pay respects to? No….I would much rather him become one of the great protectors of this nation, a Teigu forged from a human soul! And of all the candidates…there will never be a greater soul than the soul of Titus Ganymede, first Emperor of this glorious Empire!"

 _They're…using a human to make a Teigu…?_

Feeling shivers travel up his spine, Ieyasu watched as the scene changed and blurred until he found himself standing in a large, nearly cavern-like room, a great golden contraption covering the far side of the room as a man dressed in a sleek, black butler outfit stood beside the same younger man from before.

"It…it is done, your highness. The process has started….only time can tell whether it shall succeed now."

Clasping his hands behind his back as gouts of bright blue light shot from the forge, the young man smiled as he nodded.

"Indeed….but I know my father. His soul shone brighter than any sun ever could, was more unbendable than the strongest rampart walls….nothing less than the finest of Teigu could possibly be borne from it."

After a short wait in silence, Ieyasu watched as a cane that looked nearly identical to the one in his hands exit the forge and fall onto the ground!

As the young man reached down and picked it up, he brushed some soot off of the shaft and whispered the words he found etched there.

"Terrax, rattler of heaven and earth…."

Gripping the handle and pressing it into the ground, the young man felt a link form between himself and the cane, almost like it was accepting him, and felt the very earth beneath his feet as well as the cavern walls and ceiling begin to shake! Quickly raising it from the ground and watching as the shaking ceased, the young man proudly held the cane aloft as he spoke.

"All hail Terrax, Rattler of heaven and earth! The first Teigu ever forged from a human soul…long shall it shake the heavens and the earth, like my father did when he was alive!"

Feeling his heart flutter at the young man's words, Ieyasu was feeling rather sentimental when suddenly, his scenery changed once more, his surroundings vanishing as he found himself standing in a desolate, open expanse of white, the only thing of notice around being the cane hovering before him!

"It changed again? What now…?"

As he glanced around questionably, Ieyasu suddenly shouted out in pain as a voice rang out over the landscape, so loud and thunderous his mind seemed to rattle as he listened!

"YOU WHO SEEKS TO CONQUER ME. YOU DARE PROCLAIM YOURSELF WORTHY OF MY LEGACY?"

Scratching his head, Ieyasu adjusted his footing as he glanced at the Cane, now vibrating so fast it was blurry in mid-air, and paused for a moment before the voice sounded again, this time causing his physical pain as he felt blood trickle from his ears.

"MY WILL IS THE MOUNTAINS, UNBENDABLE UNDER THE STRONGEST FORCE AND UNSHAKEABLE IN THE MOST VIOLENT STORMS. NONE BUT THOSE WHO POSSESS THE RESOLVE TO DIE A THOSUAND DEATHS FOR THEIR BELIEFS, TO BEAR THE WEIGHT OF CRUSHING MOUNTAINS AND COUNTLESS LASHINGS ARE FIT TO STAND WHERE I DO. I ASK YOU…ARE YOU WORTHY?"

Feeling the voice weighing down so heavily on his mind he was unable to stand up anymore, Ieyasu fell to his knees as he coughed up blood, his words strained as he slammed the ground angrily.

"Of….course…..I am! You think…."

Faltering as he recalled his torture at the hands of Esdeath, Ieyasu was too enraptured by his pain that he didn't notice the scenery change to reflect his recollection! Slamming the ground once again as he began to force himself to his feet despite the crushing force weighing down him, Ieyasu ignored the tears bubbling up from the memory of his torture as he spoke, his voice filled with pain.

"…you think I haven't endured a thousand deaths, you wooden piece of shit? You think I'm not worthy…? I've lost everything…everything…! I lost who I am, my friends, my entire fucking village…and you don't see me giving up and throwing in the towel, do you? I'll keep going, even if it means walking straight into an icy hell…I'll keep walking until my bones break, my blood freezes over, and my bones shatter into powder…because my best friend is out there right now, fighting and giving it his all despite having DIED! What kind of best friend would I be, what kind of person would I be, if I didn't match that? We…we didn't deserve this…none of us did, dammit! And I won't stop until I can show Sayo the head of that ice queen in the afterlife!"

As he stood there, his face contorted into one of fury at having expressed his innermost thoughts, Ieyasu finally realized what he had said and frowned.

"Wha…why did I say all that? W-What happened?"

Feeling the crushing weight on him release, he watched as the cane seemed to soften its vibrations as the voice resonated in his head once more.

"YOU…ARE DEFINED BY RAGE, BOY. IT WILL CONSUME YOU…BURN YOU AND EVERYTHING AWAY UNTIL ONLY ASHES REMAIN….AND YOU STILL WISH TO CONTINUE? DESPITE KNOWING ONLY PAIN AND SUFFERING AWAIT?"

Nodding, Ieyasu clenched his fist.

"Of course! I already told you, didn't I? Pain is my life now…I feel the scars of her torture every day, every second and every step I take…they remind me constantly never to forgive! So yes….I'll keep going, even if I die, even if I burn to ash…"

Watching as the cane settled down onto the ground, Ieyasu watched as the faint image of the first emperor manifested around it! A soft smile on his rugged, aged face, he nodded as he extended his hand.

"I have witnessed your resolve, young man…and I find it satisfactory. Your soul burns bright, like a raging inferno…it will burn rapidly, with righteousness and vigor. I will see your vision through to the end, boy…no matter what may come, Titus Ganymede shall stand valiantly by your side, until the bitter end. Let the firmness of our resolve rattle the mountains and shake the earth!"

Feeling the weight from his shoulders lift completely, Ieyasu cautiously took the man's hand and shook it as he smirked.

"Nah…we'll see it through to the end. We're a team now, right?"

The aged emperor only smiled back as his form faded, leaving the cane to fly into Ieyasu's hands as he felt his vision fading…

 **XXXXX**

Back in the alleyway, Ieyasu felt the cane reaching out to him as he smiled sadly and spoke.

"Geez…so this thing is the first emperor? You're probably angrier than I am at what your empire's become, huh? To think, the cane I found in that run down shop would be a Teigu…."

Feeling a strange bond between him and the cane, Ieyasu looked down at his body and felt….like _something_ was pulsing through his veins like the rumble of an earthquake had taken up residence in his body!

Feeling something akin to having his whole body vibrating at once, Ieyasu shook his head and glanced at the cane warmly.

"You're…accepting me? I'm probably the worst candidate to lend your power to, you know…I'm broken, selfish, angry, narrow-minded….a blockhead…"

Feeling vague notions of a feeling akin to what he felt when his mother would comfort him flowing from the cane into his head, he laughed.

"You trying to comfort me? Hahaha…comforted by a walking stick….what a day. Well, if you'll have me…"

Feeling quick glimpses and vague notions of countless years passing in his head, then a feeling of relief at finally finding something you were looking for, Ieyasu looked down at the cane before him.

"You…you were in that shop for a long time, weren't you? Looking for someone compatible with you…for someone compatible with that unbending spirit of yours, the spirit to never give up, to never falter or surrender, even if you had an eye ripped out and were whipped with your own leg muscles….I'm touched, that you found my spirit to your liking."

Smirking as he rose to his feet, the cobblestones at his feet rumbling so hard they turned into dust, Ieyasu clenched his fist and turned his gaze towards Jaegar HQ.

"I think I can finally do it….I can finally match her! With you at my side….we might be able to overcome her."

Feeling pictures of a family tree floating into his head along with the feeling of wanting to know something, Ieyasu spoke as he began to hobble away.

"You wantin' to know if you have a kid still alive? Yeah, the current emperor is still your descendant….though, for how much longer he'll manage to stay alive in this storm is anybody's guess."

Feeling feelings of relief enter his body, Ieyasu continued hobbling down the street as he spoke.

"Glad you're happy about it…now, let's see if we can't find a way to kill some time before the rebels get here…."

 **XXXXX**

Stepping into the dust, forgotten, moss covered building that stood beneath the walls of the palace, Bulat sighed and clear a few cobwebs from his path as he muttered softly and brandished the spear on his back.

"Jeez, Tatsumi…you find the weirdest places…but supposedly, I could get a new Teigu here."

Using his spear to clear his way as he slowly advanced deeper into the tomb, Bulat soon came upon the same slab in the tomb of the first emperor that Tatsumi and Kurome had seen not a day or so prior, his eyes scanning the words emblazoned on it before sighing and putting his hand on it.

"Well…here goes nothing."

Watching the slab swing open after significant effort on his part, Bulat slowly entered the pitch-black room that lay beyond the slab, his spear at the ready and ready to react at a moment's notice…

 _WHAM!_

Whirling around and seeing the slab slam shut behind him, Bulat, now in total and complete darkness, gripped his spear tightly as he spoke to try and assuage his rising nervousness.

"Easy, Bulat…this is nothing. You've fought all sorts of people, Teigu wielders or otherwise….a little darkness is nothing. Absolutely nothing…."

Suddenly, Bulat blinked and found himself standing in the middle of a battlefield, hundreds of men dying, fighting, and screaming all around him as he heard a familiar voice call out to him from beside him. Ignoring the blood and the smell of the battlefield that was filling his nose, Bulat struggled to listen.

"Bulat! Bulat! God damn it Bulat, RESPOND! I told you, we're getting slaughtered out there!"

Blinking twice and turning to his right, Bulat felt his heart drop and his blood run cold as he saw a man standing beside him, his generals outfit rippling in the cool morning air as Bulat let his name escape his lips as he felt his eyes moisten up.

"Liver…"

 _What….what's going on? Why am I back on my old battlefield, with Liver…? What the hell is happening?!_

 **XXXXX**

"Steady, men! At ease!"

As the commander barked out orders to his troops, Tatsumi watched from inside Jupiter as the three hundred soldiers came to a halt, their faces one of weariness as they all began to chatter amongst themselves.

"Let's set up camp, men…the sun will be setting soon!"

As the soldiers set up camp, pitching tents and setting up cooking stations as they began to make merry, Tatsumi couldn't help but find himself rooted in place, watching the soldiers, both young and old, laughing and smiling as they ate and drank, swapping stories of their exploits and remembering their dead…and he soon found himself replacing the soldiers with Himself, Ieyasu, and Sayo, and even people from his village! Remembering times gone by, Tatsumi sighed dejectedly inside Jupiter and murmured to himself, not knowing he was speaking out loud.

" **Hahh….damn it…"**

As he stood in place remembering times gone by, a habit which he seemed to be doing more and more of lately, Tatsumi was roused from his thoughts as the commander spoke from beside him, a poor attempt to conceal supreme pride in his voice.

"Quite the bunch of men, aren't they?"

Glancing over at him, Tatsumi nodded quietly.

"…. **yeah."**

Scanning Tatsumi with his aged, steely gaze, the commander gently rested a hand on Tatsumi's armor as he spoke.

"…something wrong, boy? That tone…I've heard it many times before, you know…the sound of a man who's lost it all. That's…not a tone a boy like you should be making."

Surprised, Tatsumi turned fully to the commander as he chuckled.

"Surprised? Don't be…as a commander for so long, you learn to sense what's in the hearts and minds of your men. At least, the good commanders do…but sadly, people like me are rare in this age. Crushed under the weight of tyranny, broken under the weight of countless injustices…they give up, let themselves be used by the Minister and his goons…I've seen it happen too many times. So…I guess what I'm trying to say here, boy…is that no matter who you are, no matter where you came from, never forget those you fight for. Focus on the present, and don't dwell on the past, understand? No one is without hope in this world…you just need to find it."

Sighing after a moment of silence, the commander laughed good-heartedly.

"Ohoho…but I digress. Forgive the ramblings of an aged commander, my boy…I just…I can tell you carry a weight I can scarcely imagine on those broad shoulders of yours. Remember that you don't have to bear it alone."

As he clasped his hands behind his back and meandered over to his men, getting involved with the merrymaking after ordering some scouts to keep a watch on the area, Tatsumi stood rooted in place as a smile creased his cracked, lifeless lips.

"… **Kurome…Bols…"**

Remembering those back home he cared for thanks to the commanders words, Tatsumi clenched his fist as he chuckled weakly.

" **I'm such an idiot...getting so sentimental at a time like this. Sayo would whack me one if she was here…and so would Kurome."**

Feeling pumped up, Tatsumi rotated his arms excitedly as he began to lumber forward, his heavy footfalls shaking the men nearby as he began to head out past the camp.

" **I'm scouting ahead."**

Not waiting for anyone in particular to respond, Tatsumi soon left the camp behind and began to wind his way up a small path in the Cliffside, his massive armored footsteps shaking the rocks around him and crushing any unlucky enough to fall beneath his steps into powder as he walked.

Finally arriving at the top of the path a short while later and glancing at the opposite cliff wall, then at the camp far below him, Tatsumi turned his gaze out towards the plains where the rebel armies would come from, striding over to the very edge of the plateau as he nodded.

" **Here we are…the final fight before they reach the capital.** "

Briefly realizing that he might have to fight Night Raid on this mission, Tatsumi found himself recalling the short time he spent with the rebel group, his massive, armored arms crossed and making him look like a giant metal statue.

Remembering Leone and how she tried to act like a big sister to him, Tatsumi found himself laughing despite himself as he remembered the cherished few good memories of them before he and Bulat left.

" **In a different time, in a different place…we might have been friends. We might have been allies…"**

Sighing dejectedly as he shook his massive head, Tatsumi stood silently and watched the sun dip deep into the horizon, then finally vanish below it as day turned to night. Several hours later, after venturing a little further along the cliff edge until he couldn't even see the camp anymore, Tatsumi glanced around before scratching his armored head.

" **Ah. I got a little too far away…I guess I should head back. It's already dark…"**

Taking one more moment to glance out on the horizon, Tatsumi frowned as he lights on the very edge of the horizon.

" **They're here…and they've already made camp.** "

As he stared at the lights for a moment, Tatsumi nearly leapt out his skin when he heard a female voice beside him.

"Pretty view, Eh Tatsumi?"

" **AH!"**

Unable to stop himself from leaping back and turning to the sound of the voice, Tatsumi narrowed his eyes inside his helmet when he saw Leone standing there, her massive mane of yellow hair and gigantic chest the same as he remembered them.

" **Wha…Leone?"**

Bristling and taking up a fighting stance, Tatsumi watched as she waved her hand dismissively.

"Oh, cut it out. I'm just here scouting…I'm not here to fight. That's….that's for tomorrow."

Remaining in a combat stance for a few seconds, Tatsumi cautiously replied as he lowered his guard and glanced around suspiciously.

" **Yeah? Then, where at the others?"**

Turning back to the horizon, Leone replied.

"Not here. Got sent on another mission…won't be here for a day or so."

However, just as Tatsumi relaxed his gaze, a loud rumble cut through the air that resembled a demon's growl more than anything!

" **What…what's there?!"**

Whirling around, Tatsumi watched as the head of Akame poked out of a nearby bush, blushing as Leone angrily cried out.

"You glutton! Can't you just, for once, not ruin things by being hungry?! Argh!"

Blinking twice, Tatsumi stammered out a reply as Akame stoically rose from the bushes after Leone bonked her on the head, her sword in hand, and stood beside Leone as Tatsumi spoke.

" **T-That…was her stomach growling?"**

Rubbing her nose, Leone nodded.

"…what, you don't remember? How she ate everyone's portions the first day you were there because we slept in?"

" **Right…I remember that…Boss was so mad…"**

Sharing a laugh with him, Leone nodded as Akame blushed softly and looked at the ground.

"Ahahaha, right? Ah…good times."

Tatsumi nodded as a strange silence descended between them for nearly a minute, only broken when Leone's soft voice broke it.

"…you could come back, you know. I…I could convince boss. And….Tatsumi, I'm sorry about-"

Shaking his head, Tatsumi cut her off.

" **It's fine, Leone…you guys have a mission, and Pluto could have helped you with that. I get it. Just…sometimes, you guys think about what you're fighting for too much and lose sight of the little stuff, you know? We all do. I don't really hate you guys that much anymore, honestly…a dead man doesn't have time for that. It's kinda silly to hold such intense emotions inside of you when you're always five seconds from death….it kinda puts a lot into perspective."**

Cracking a soft grin, Leone tried to put her arm around Tatsumi's armor as she spoke.

"…you've grown up, Tatsumi!"

However, finding she couldn't fit her arm around his armor, she scratched her head and chuckled.

"…in more ways than one, I guess. I can't roughhouse you anymore…and I can't really call myself your big sis when you're the size of a small house."

After a brief pause, Tatsumi laughed softly.

" **Yeah…I guess not, huh."**

Good-naturedly punching his chestplate, Leone smirked.

"You devil, you…I bet you found a girl with those Jaeger's eh? Tell big sis all about it!"

Feeling his face flush, Tatsumi stammered out a reply as she poked him repeatedly.

" **W-Wha-! N-no! I, Uh…..I don't!"**

Her face twisting into a devious grin, she continued poking him for a while until she spoke.

"Don't lie to your big sis! Tell me….who is it? Ew, don't tell me you're into Esdeath…"

As she drew back in mock disgust, Tatsumi shook his head emphatically.

" **Definitely not! She took a liking to Wave, Actually…I guess having a dead guy as a torture pet wasn't too appealing."**

After a brief pause, he continued as he glanced at Akame.

" **Actually, uh…me and Kurome have been really hitting it off, if you must know. Oh, but I swear if you hurt her-"**

As his voice turned sharp enough to cut stone, Akame interjected suddenly with an ice cold voice.

"Savor your time with her, Tatsumi…I'm going to kill her the moment I see her. She probably feels the same way."

Clenching his fists, Tatsumi fell silent for a moment before replying.

"… **bullshit. No. I don't everything, so forgive if me I sound insensitive, but you two are sisters! I don't care what happened, you two are blood…that has to count for something!"**

Rubbing his head, Tatsumi sighed and spoke once more.

" **Enough…we've talked plenty. Seeing as how we're going to be trying to kill each other tomorrow, let's not get to friendly. I've…I've remembered too much as it is."**

Scratching her head, Leone smiled sadly as she glanced up at Tatsumi.

"You really grew into one great kid, Tatsumi. I…Just want you to know that. Even if we kill each other, or you kill us, or whatever…big sis is proud of you."

Pausing, clearly taken off guard, Tatsumi looked at the two girls before he spoke a few seconds later.

"… **you know, you guys could join us….the Jaegars. Think about it…we could better the world together! And the Emperor, h-he's getting better….he's not so bad anymore..! W-We could be a fam-"**

Before he could finish, Akame tried to speak but Leone cut her off as she shook her head.

"…quit dreaming, Tatsumi. We're enemies…just like you can't leave and join us, we can't leave and join you…got it? And you said it yourself, didn't you? Let's cut this short…I think we both have remembered too much already…"

Nodding, Tatsumi looked almost ready to walk away when he paused, turned back around, and spoke as Leone began to walk away with Akame.

"Wait."

As the two turned around, Tatsumi began to reach up to undo his helmet as Jupiter barked in his ear.

 **It is inadvisable to remove your helmet in a war zone. Chances of death wil rise-**

Ignoring it as he undid the latches on his helmet, Tatsumi lifted his helmet free of his body with a hiss of steam, watching as Leone and Akame both widened their eyes as they saw his lifeless, grey skin and wrinkled lips, his eyes pale and lacking most of their pupils as he spoke, his voice raspy and pained.

"…this…is the real….me. Wanted….to look…you in the eyes…and say…..goodbye."

As Akame immediately went to draw her sword, Leone caught her by the neck and drug her back, a deadpan, slightly annoyed look on Akame's face as Leone bonked her on the head.

"Stop, idiot. You think your sword will work if his heart isn't beating in the first place? Leave it be."

Turning to Tatsumi, Leone walked forward until she was right in front of him, smiling softly as she spoke.

"You look…great, Tatsumi. And….thanks."

Making a noise that sounded like several dying cats as he tried to laugh, Tatsumi wheezed back a reply.

"…I….always….look great…big…sis."

As he slipped his helmet back on with a soft _hissss_ , Tatsumi began to wordlessly walk away, leaving Leone and Akame to watch him vanish into the distance as Leone spoke.

"Come on, Akame…let's get back to camp. We've scouted enough."

Akame decided not to mention the tear that had fallen from Leone's eye.

 **XXXXX**

As the sun crested the horizon next morning, Tatsumi stood at the entrance to the mountain pass, his massive Steel Splitter sword firmly in his hand and planted into the ground as the three hundred soldiers stood firm behind him, weapons in hand as Tatsumi spoke, eyeing the lines of rebel troops standing across from them.

" **Listen up! We all knew that none of us would be coming back from this alive…but let's prove that bastard minister wrong! We'll send every one of these rebels screaming into the abyss, unflinching and steadfast, for the entire capital stands at our backs! Think of everything you hold dear, of everything waiting back at home for you…these rebels will take it all from you…your homes, your families, your safety, they'll obliterate in the name of their 'Justice'! So…let's show them our Justice is stronger!"**

Lifting his sword high into the air, Tatsumi listened as each and every man at his back bellowed and shouted in response to his speech, their combined voices creating a war cry that shook the very ground beneath their feet and made the first line of rebels look at each other nervously.

Watching as the rebels began to advanced and charge at them, Tatsumi calmly turned around and spoke to the Commander as he strode forward.

" **I'll handle the first wave, Commander. Just sit back and watch."**

Speechless, he shot back a reply as Tatsumi walked away.

"T-That's over a thousand men, boy! Get back here!"

However, his words vanished into the wind as Tatsumi slammed headfirst into the first line of Rebel soldiers like a rushing bull, clad in iron and boiling with rage as the entire first line turned to bloody mist beneath his sword.

The battle had begun.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **And so the war begins! I really wanted to revisit Night Raid and Tatsumi, so I'm glad I got to get some interaction between them there at the end. Also, SURPRISE, the cane was a Teigu the WHOLE TIME! Yeah, probably wasn't a surprise for too many though I'd imagine. Or maybe it was. In that case, I guess that means I'm half-decent at the writing thing. In any case, with the mysterious twins leaving just as suddenly as they began amidst mysterious talk of a Jade Dragon and Ieyasu finally affirming his resolve to kill Esdeath at any cost, things are looking to be quite exciting in the future! Tune in next time for Chapter Sixteen: Victory at any cost!**

 **Sorry for the long wait. Really sorry. It's not me being lazy, I promise.**

 **I know, I'm awful.**


End file.
